Broken Hearts, Mended Souls
by Nuclear Twinkie
Summary: Yet another new chapter. Ryoga believes he finally found a cure for his curse, but will it work? Will he die trying to obtain it? Or will he continue to live in the hell Akane put him in?
1. Chapter 1

"Dear, I... I don't know what to do. I have tried everything I can think of to get them together. Ranma and Akane just have to get married. They have to. I don't know how much longer they have. If only you were here. You would be able to get them together. Without you, I j-just can't..."  
  
Soun's hands fell to the earth as he could no longer control the emotional pain. He bowed his forehead to the ground and continued to cry in painful, whimpering, sobs for several minutes. The sun was setting, and the last rays of sunlight were streaking thru trees onto everything. Soun Tendo was on the outskirts of Nerima, in on the grounds of a Buddhist temple. More precisely, he was in front of the tombstone of his dead wife.  
  
"I have to make sure the future of the dojo is secured, so I can do what is necessary protect them. I wasn't able to protect you, and I will never live a day without remembering that. I don't know if they are capable of protecting themselves when it comes. As both of us know, my dear wife, I have to protect them. Nothing is more painful than the loss of innocence."  
  
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Broken Hearts, Mended Souls  
By  
Nuclear Twinkie  
  
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Disclaimer: I don't own any right to the characters in this story. No rights to them at all whatsoever. Non-profit writing for fun is all this is. What else do I have to say? Well, you told me to say this so I wouldn't have to eat Akane's cooking. The horror! The terrible pain! The... Akane! Hi! What a nice day this is for... Akane put that down. Akane don't do it! Akane, NOOOO!! --SMASH--  
  
{ } = Character Thoughts  
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Akane grabs her backpack, rips open the door, and slams it as she thunders her way out of the Tendo household. She exits the gate and turns down the street. The angry look on her face is readily apparent to any who see her. Long-time neighbors and residents of Nerima quickly scatter and hide.  
  
{I can't believe after all the times I have tried to cook for him he still insults me! Doesn't he know how hard I work to make good food? Just once I wish he would respect other people's feelings. He's acted like this since the first day I met him. The first night he stayed here, after the pervert saw me in the nude, he goes and insults me. At that point, he had never even seen me before. I still remember what he said too. "And I'm better built to boot."}  
  
Akane stops momentarily, looks up at sky and screams, "AAARRRGGGHHH!!!" Her head drops down so she now looking at the ground. {Yelling actually helped a little. I think I'm starting to feel better...}  
  
Akane suddenly looks up and starts walking to school again. {No I'm not. What is it with that idiot? One moment I think, impossible as it seems, we might be connecting; then the next he's back to his rude and obnoxious self. I thought he actually had some feelings for me. Why is he still always like this? I remember what happened on Mount Phoenix. I was hurt. I felt so helpless, and then I heard him. "I wanted to tell you that I love you!" I heard him say it. At least I thought I did. I was conscious the entire time, but wasn't able to move. When Ranma said that, I was able to move and react again. Later, he denied ever saying anything like that. Did he really say it? If so, did he really mean it?}  
  
Akane stops again and sighs deeply. She doesn't seem nearly as angry anymore. She appears to be deep in thought, paying very little attention to the world around her as she continues walking to school. {I wish I knew. Sometimes he makes me so angry that I wish he never came to Nerima. I absolutely HATE him when he's like that! There are other times when it's different though. Those times, I wish that he... hope that he would...}  
  
"Akane Tendo?" Akane slowly brings herself back to reality to see four boys in school uniforms now surround her. They don't appear to be Furinkan uniforms, and all the boys are wearing masks over their face to cover their appearance. They also seem rather large for high school students.  
  
"Huh?" {Who are these guys, and what the heck do they want? I'm not in the mood for this today.}  
  
"Are you Akane Tendo?" the boy in front of her says.  
  
"Yes, I am." {What is this about? These guys better back off; I am REALLY not in the mood for this today. After dealing with Ranma, if these guys try and start a fight...}  
  
Without warning, all four of the boys drop into fighting stances and immediately attack. Akane, being much faster and skilled than the boys attacking her, immediately defends herself. She jumps forward at the boy in front of her that was talking and passes him. Well, all of Akane but her fist passes him. Her fist gets the speed of her move and her strength into the boy's solar plexus. He flies into the air and lands in a heap about 10 feet behind where he just was.  
  
{What the heck is going on? I thought this ended when Ranma defeated Kuno.} A second boy comes at Akane from her left side. Akane jumps into a spin kick and solidly connects to the second boy's head. He crumples to the ground unconscious. Akane lands facing the two remaining boys in the fight. One pulls a steel pipe and the other pulls out a knife. They both start to slowly separate as they cautiously advance on her.  
  
{I don't know who these guys are, but I they sure aren't ordinary high school students. I've got to take care of them quick, and watch out for that knife in the process. I'll take out the guy with the pipe first so I can focus on that knife.}  
  
Akane charges the boy, ducking under a swing at her upper torso. Now in a crouching position, Akane kicks a foot up into the boy's abdomen. As he goes flying backwards out of the fight, the fourth boy dives in and attempts to cut her with the knife. Akane rolls out of the way and comes up into a fighting stance.  
  
{These guys are seriously trying to hurt me. Why?} Akane screams, "Why are you doing this?"  
  
Without a word, the boy comes in for another attack. He attempts a straight, quick jab at Akane's stomach. Akane swiftly dodges to the outside and grabs the boy's arm before he can even finish the attack. Akane deftly twists the boy's arm until he drops the knife, and then throws him across the street into a wall. He slides down the wall unconscious.  
  
Akane turns around to find the two boys that she left conscious have vanished. Akane yanks off the masks of the two remaining attackers. {I don't recognize either of these guys, and I would be willing to bet neither of them are young enough to be in high school either.} She quickly looks around and runs off to school. {This is serious. These guys actually tried to hurt me. I have to tell someone. Wait, if I tell Ranma, he'll be stalking me for the next two weeks just to make sure I'm OK. If I tell daddy, he won't even let me leave the house. I have to tell someone who won't freak out about this whole thing. Maybe Nabiki can help. If I can keep her calm long enough to explain nothing really bad happened, she would probably help me without blowing it out of proportion.}  
  
Akane slows to a walk as she approaches the school entrance. {What's going on? Usually, the courtyard is fairly empty by the time I get here.} As she is looking at courtyard filled with students, she notes that most have moved onto the grass. Small groups huddle under what trees have survived Kunou and Ranma's battles. A few stand waiting by the main doors. {Fire drill? Broken water main?}  
  
"Akane!"  
  
{It's Yuka and Sayuri. They'll be able to tell me what's going on.} "Why is everybody out here? What's wrong?"  
  
Yuka and Sayuri are standing near the entrance with a couple of other girls. They are all in school uniforms. Sayuri's dark brown hair tied into a ponytail with a red ribbon and Yuka's long, light brown hair hangs straight down her back.  
  
Yuka looks unusually happy to see Akane. "I knew today was going to be a good day. Thanks for showing up early. I told you she'd be here, Sayuri. I'm going to go collect my winnings from Nabiki. Thanks again, Akane!" Yuka waves goodbye as she runs across the courtyard.  
  
Akane is starting to look annoyed. {What a horrible day. I had to deal with Ranma, those guys, and now Yuka is acting really weird.} "Sayuri, could you please explain what Yuka was talking about."  
  
"She was feeling lucky this morning and placed a bet with Nabiki saying you would be 15 minutes or more early today. The return on that bet is quite large I hear. She'll probably end up buying lunch for you today with the winnings."  
  
"Early?" Akane looks up at the large clock on the front of the school. {Wow, I'm almost 20 minutes early. How did that happen? I guess between almost skipping breakfast and running all the way from that fight I actually got here on time. Not even on time, but 20 minutes early. I don't think I've done that since Ranma showed up. The idiot. Oh yeah, I need to talk to Nabiki. Wait, I can't do that here at school. I better wait until I get home today.}  
  
"I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it for myself. I figured you would have gone off after Ranma this morning like you usually do." Akane turns and looks at Nabiki. She's in full business mode, with a serious, almost unemotional glare. There is a slight bit of surprise and shock hidden behind that mask of business-like efficiency.  
  
{Go after... Wait, she's not thinking what I think she's thinking, is she? This is Nabiki, which means she probably is.} "Nabiki, why in the world would I go after that insensitive jerk? Especially after what he said this morning! He deserved to be hit into low earth orbit. I hope he landed a nice large body of cold water."  
  
"Really? You're not even the slightest bit concerned about him?" Nabiki had that tone of voice that indicated she was teasing her sister, and enjoying it.  
  
"Of course I'm not concerned about that jerk. Why would I be?" {Oh yeah, got to make sure Nabiki is home after school today.} Akane proceeds to grab Nabiki's arm and drag her off away from the other girls. Akane then whispers, "Nabiki, there's something important I have to talk to you about after school. Could you go home right after school today?"  
  
A smile appears on Nabiki's face as she continues to talk in that same, teasing tone. "This doesn't have anything to do with your fiancé, does it?"  
  
{Geez, she's still teasing me.} "Nabiki, it has nothing to do with Ranma. I just need to talk to you right after school today. It's really important. Please, sis?"  
  
Nabiki's teasing tone disappeared. "OK sis, I'll be there. You're usually not this serious, Akane. Is something wrong?"  
  
"Everything's fine, Nabiki. I'll talk to you later." Akane turns around and starts to walk back to her friends.  
  
Nabiki looks at Akane as she walks away. {Yeah, right Sis. Everything's fine. Right. Only Ranma lies worse than you do. Let's see how much I can find out before tonight.} Nabiki Tendo, the girl with more connections than some crime bosses, purposely walks off with a fact-finding mission to complete.  
  
Akane walks up to Sayuri to see Yuka is back. Yuka seems ecstatic about her winnings as she talks to Sayuri. "Sayuri, this is great! I got a 5-1 return on that bet, and I put down 2000 yen! Hi, Akane. Thanks again for showing up early today. Please let me buy you lunch. It's the least I can do."  
  
{Well, at least Yuka is happy. I should be happy too. I'm just going to forget about Ranma and the bullies and worry about that stuff later.} "Thanks, Yuka. Wait, you just said 5 to 1 odds against me being here early? Which means you've got quite a bit of money. Hmm, which expensive restaurant should I choose for lunch?"  
  
Sayuri starts giggling, as Yuka seems to panic. "Akane, I meant I'd buy you lunch here. Please don't make me take you to some expensive restaurant."  
  
Sayuri, restraining the urge to giggle further, says, "Yuka, you're taking Akane out? I didn't know you were that way." This sends both Akane and Sayuri into another round of giggling.  
  
Yuka now looks slightly hurt, even though it appears she is trying not to laugh with her friends. "Hey! It's not like that!"  
  
Akane stops laughing and puts a hand on Yuka's shoulder. "We know Yuka. We were just teasing." Akane then puts both her hands over her heart and bats her eyelashes at Yuka. "It's just... this all so... so sudden."  
  
"AKANE!!!" Yuka states loudly. After a second or two, all three girls burst into gales of laughter as they walk into school.  
  
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Author's Notes: Thanks to Harold Ancell, Kit, and Roja-Cyd for help pre- reading this.  
  
[UPDATED 05/09/02] Final draft. This is a major re-write of an earlier fanfic that did not start so well. I think this one is much better. Please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (ntwinkie@effectnet.com) 


	2. Chapter 2

Broken Hearts, Mended Souls  
By  
Nuclear Twinkie  
  
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Disclaimer: Since I have been told to make the disclaimer more serious since Rumiko Takahashi deserves such credit, (she truly does deserve thanks for bringing us a great story like Ranma 1/2, I just like being silly) so I have brought help. Tatewaki, please continue. "Ah, my dear Rumiko Takahashi. The intelligence you used to create this manga is as bright as the sun. It's light is only matched by your beauty and style. As for you, heathen fanfic author, to even insinuate you had any hand in creating this Ranma 1/2 manga doth turn my stomach and blacken your heart. Have at you!"  
  
{} = Character Thoughts  
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{I know someone is following me. Akane wanted me home right after school, but some things came up. Next time, I'll listen to her when she says 'right after school'.}  
  
Nabiki was quickly walking down the street. She would occasionally look back to catch just a glimpse of two large guys in unfamiliar school uniforms. The sun was setting, creating a shadowy landscape. As Nabiki turned a corner she noticed a third guy in the same style uniform standing around the corner. {This is not good. This is really not good.} Nabiki backs up and looks in the direction she came from to see the two guys who have been following her standing there.  
  
{This is more than not good. This is scary. Well, I can't fight them like Akane would. Guess I'll try the next best thing. It may not be very good for my image, but running and screaming may get someone's attention and it gets me away from these guys.} She turns away to run and starts screaming when a hand from a fourth assailant is slammed over her mouth. The man's other arm wraps around her waist as Nabiki is dragged down an alley in between two buildings.  
  
{What?!?! He must have sneaked up behind me. Those other guys are following. I have to escape. I have to get away!} Nabiki elbows the man holding her and brings the heel of her foot down on the top of his foot. He grunts in pain and lets her go. She attempts to run past the other three guys when a hand flies out and connects with the side of her head. She stumbles backwards in a daze, as the last two men grab either arm and drag her into the alley.  
  
{NO! I have to get away! I have to get away! Someone help me!} Nabiki attempts to scream and struggle when the man she elbowed walks up and backhands her with his fist. Stars appear before Nabiki's eyes as she is no longer able to struggle. There is now blood running down the right side of her face. The two men walk to the end of the alley and drop her to the ground. The man she elbowed looks down at her and smiles as he says, "You're going to pay for that. And just think, after all is said and done, you have your father to thank for it all."  
  
{My father? Why? No! Please no! Please, someone help me!}  
  
"What you guys doing? Shampoo thought she heard someone screaming."   
  
One of the men had positioned themselves at the entrance to the alley. "There's nothing to see here. You'll leave if you know what's good for you."  
  
Shampoo attempts to look around the man and down the alley. {I know I heard someone screaming and there is something happening down at the end of the alley. Someone is on the ground. Nabiki Tendo! She may be greedy and love money more than honor, but no one deserves this.}  
  
Shampoo draws her bon-bori, one in each hand, and assumes a fighting stance. She glares at the man in front of her. {I almost hope they don't do what I say. People who do this to women deserve the severe punishment I am willing to give them.} "You let Nabiki Tendo go or Shampoo hurt you. Badly."  
  
The man in front of Shampoo immediately attacks, attempting a jab at Shampoo's midsection. As she turns to the side to avoid the blow she brings one of her bon-bori straight in at the man chest. He flies backwards into one of the two men running down the alley towards her, and they tumble to the ground. The man still running at Shampoo is swinging a wooden baseball bat. Shampoo brings up one of her weapons and shatters the piece of wood as her other weapon comes arcing into the man's side and sends him into the wall along the alley.   
  
The man who got hit by his fellow assailant in flight is now standing up. He is holding a knife large enough to be a small sword. He quickly slashes in at Shampoo. Shampoo backsteps, avoiding the slash. She pauses momentarily to judge this man's combat skills. {He may actually know how to use that thing. I may get to hurt him a lot.} Shampoo grins as she commences her attack.  
  
Meanwhile, Nabiki is staring in near-shock at the ensuing battle. She comes to her senses and realizes Shampoo is here to rescue her. {Shampoo? She's here to help me! What?} Nabiki looks up to see the fourth man standing in front of her. His hand is coming out of his jacket holding something. {A gun?!? He's pointing it at Shampoo? I have to do something! I have to!} Nabiki kicks out at the man's leg and connects with the side of his knee. She feels something pop, as the man screams in pain and crumples to the ground. As he falls his gun points into air for split second and fires off a round.   
  
Shampoo has gotten several good hits on her opponent in just a few seconds time. {This almost isn't worth it. This man doesn't have a chance of defeating me. WHAT?!?! That other man has a gun!} Shampoo jumps up and over the man she is fighting, coming down bon-bori first. The bon-bori connects with the hand of the man holding the gun. Shampoo is rewarded with the crunching sounds of several bones breaking.   
  
The man that was fighting Shampoo is now behind her. He looks at Shampoo for just a moment and starts sprinting down the alley. Shampoo turns around and deftly flicks her bon-bori through the air. It connects with the back of the man's skull. He falls over unconscious. Shampoo then turns all her attention to Nabiki.  
  
"Nabiki Tendo, you are hurt! I get you to airen and others at home right away!" Shampoo reaches down and picks up Nabiki.  
  
"Shampoo, wait! We need to find out who they are! Shampoo, don't... AAAAHHHHH!!!!" Nabiki is now flying over buildings, as Shampoo is roof hopping towards the Tendo Dojo at tremendous speeds. {Damn it! We needed to find out who they are! Shampoo is... is...} The jostling of rapid paced roof hopping is too much for Nabiki. She grows increasingly groggy and then passes out just as her home comes into view.  
  
Shampoo lands in the backyard and approaches the back porch. {Nabiki is not conscious. That injury may be worse than I thought. I need to get her help now!} "Someone help! Bad men hurt Nabiki! Airen, where are you?"   
  
Kasumi is the first to greet Shampoo, but she stops and screams "Nabiki!" This brings everyone else in the house running to see what is going on. Akane is the first to arrive and helps Kasumi take Nabiki and set her down on the floor. Ranma and Soun come running into the room. Soun suddenly appears at Nabiki's side and starts wailing in sadness over what he feels is his "dying" daughter. As Kasumi runs off for the first aid kit, Ranma turns to address Shampoo.  
  
"Shampoo, what happened?" Ranma suddenly feels a huge build-up of energy and turns around.   
  
Akane stands up while a large battle aura suddenly forms around her. She turns to face Shampoo with a look of horribly violent anger in her eyes. In a voice much more quiet than it should be, Akane says, "Shampoo, if you did this to my sister..."  
  
Shampoo turns to look directly at Akane. "Not me. Shampoo hear girl scream and run to see what wrong. Four men in alley and Nabiki lying on ground hurt. Shampoo rescue Nabiki and bring her here."  
  
Akane is still angry and her aura is still flaring brightly. Her reply is much louder than her last one. "After everything you've done to us, you expect to believe anything you say! After what you did at the wedding, I'm surprised Nabiki is still alive! You are going to..." Akane suddenly stops as she hears a very quiet voice coming from Nabiki.  
  
"Akane, she didn't do it, and she did save me. Keep it down, will you? I'm trying to sleep and I have this huge headache." Nabiki turns to look at Kasumi, who is back and starting to clean and bandage the wound. "How is it sis? Am I going to die or what?"  
  
Kasumi is applying a bandage to the wound on her sister's head. She stops for just a moment to smile at Nabiki and brush Nabiki's bangs from her eyes. Nabiki sees a slight bit of fear in her sister's eyes. {Wow, Kasumi looks a little scared. Maybe I'm actually going to die? No, it can't be. There's too much money in the world that isn't mine yet.}  
  
Kasumi is still smiling as she finishes bandaging the cut Nabiki's head and says, "Nabiki, you're going to be just fine. You bleed way too much for the little cuts and scrapes you get. I would like you to stay in bed until Doctor Tofu can come take a look at you, however."  
  
Before anyone can do anything, Soun is lifting Nabiki in his arms. "Daddy will make sure you get better! My little girl will be all right! I promise!" Soun turns and starts slowly carrying his daughter upstairs. Kasumi goes to phone Doctor Tofu, and then heads upstairs after her sister and father.  
  
Akane's aura fades out of existence as she realizes what just happened. {I just accused the person who rescued Nabiki of hurting her. It may be Shampoo, but she does deserve an apology.} "Shampoo, I know this may sound weird coming from me, but... I'm sorry I accused you of hurting Nabiki." Ranma's jaw hits the ground in stunned amazement.  
  
{The aura was the typical violent girl response, but the apology was not. Maybe we should set aside our differences long enough to punish those who hurt Nabiki.} "It OK Akane. If one of Shampoo's sisters from village get hurt, Shampoo be mad too. Once we get men who hurt Nabiki and hurt them worse, Shampoo and Akane can fight. Is OK?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks Shampoo. We will get them won't we? We will make them pay for attacking my... my..." {Oh no! I got attacked this morning and now Nabiki gets attacked. If I had warned somebody, this might not have happened. Is this all my fault?} A growing look of fear and sadness appears on Akane's face as she turns and sprints upstairs.  
  
Ranma is over the shock of Akane apologizing to Shampoo and appears concerned. {Akane was sad and scared. I don't know why, but I'm gonna find out.} "C'mon Shampoo." Ranma and Shampoo head upstairs after everyone else.  
  
Upstairs in Nabiki's room, Nabiki is in serious thought. {How do I state this? If I say it the wrong way, I may get no information from him, but if I don't say enough he'll just start crying again. They said 'you have your father to thank for it all'. How does daddy fit into anything like this? I know I'm missing something, but this with this headache I can't remember what.}   
  
Akane slowly walks into the room where Kasumi and Soun are sitting next to Nabiki's bed. Nabiki looks up at Akane. {Geez, does Akane have to look that sad.} "Akane, I'm going to be OK. You don't have to look so depressed you know."  
  
Akane can't even look at her sister anymore. She lowers her head and says and a very quiet voice, "It's my fault you got hurt. I'm sorry, Nabiki."  
  
Nabiki now looks concerned. {Wait, Akane wanted to talk to me right after school today. Is it connected to this somehow?} "Akane what are you talking about?"  
  
Akane slowly walks over to kneel next to Nabiki's bed. "Remember how I said I wanted to talk to you after school. It... it was because four guys attacked me too. I defeated them, but I didn't want to worry everybody. If I had only warned everybody sooner, you wouldn't have... have been..." Akane crosses her arms and sets them on the bed and then puts her head on her arms as she starts to cry. "It's all my fault! I'm so sorry Nabiki! I'm so sorry!"  
  
Nabiki struggles to sit up and Kasumi helps her. Soun enters another crying fit as he screams, "Someone is attacking my little girls!! WWWAAAAHHHH!!!"   
  
Behind the slightly open door where Ranma and Shampoo are listening, Ranma suddenly starts to glow a dark reddish color. {Someone attacked Akane. Before I was mad. Now, someone will pay!} Shampoo notices how angry Ranma is getting and is not sure how good it is that Ranma has become so concerned after hearing that Akane was attacked, but continues to listen anyway.  
  
Nabiki reaches over and puts a hand on top of Akane's head. "Akane, in no way is this your fault. You didn't tell them to do this, or assist them in any way. How could you have known this would even happen? The last person in the world at fault is you." {I just hope daddy isn't at fault.}  
  
Kasumi kneels down next to Akane and gently lifts her head up. "Akane, Nabiki is right. It isn't your fault. You would never hurt Nabiki, and everyone here knows it. Please stop crying Akane. We need you to be strong right now, OK?"  
  
Akane sniffles and wipes the tears from her eyes. "Thanks, guys. You two are the best."  
  
Nabiki looks at her crying father. {The only way I know of to communicate with him in his current condition is to be as blunt and straightforward as possible. I hope everyone here can take this. I hope I can take this.} In a saddened yet determined voice, Nabiki said, "Daddy, when they dragged me into that alley, they said you were responsible for them attack me. Why?"  
  
All three Tendo daughters were suddenly staring at their father. He had stopped crying and was looking at Nabiki with a look of sheer terror. He then focused his gaze on Akane and Kasumi, before bowing his head in total depression. "You're right, it is my fault, not Akane's. I suppose I should finally tell you why."  
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Thanks to Langdz for help pre-reading this.  
Author's Notes: [UPDATED 08/10/02] Final draft. I hate it when fanfics end chapters at cliffhangers, and then I go and do it. Bad me! No biscuit! Anyway, please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (ntwinkie@effectnet.com) 


	3. Chapter 3

Broken Hearts, Mended Souls  
By  
Nuclear Twinkie  
  
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Disclaimer: In all seriousness, all rights to Ranma1/2 and its characters go to Rumiko Takahashi. In all silliness... Ranma, what do you think of Rumiko Takahashi? "Who? Pops didn't engage me to another girl, did he? Look, I don't know anything about any girl named Rumiko, OK"  
"Another fiancée named Rumiko, Shampoo kill!"  
"Ranma honey, you'd better be jokin' about gettin' another fiancée!"  
"Oh my darling, she's just one more obstacle in the way of our love. OH HO HO HO HO!"  
"Another fiancée? Ranma, you jerk!!" --SMASH--  
  
{} = Character Thoughts  
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Akane gets up and sits on Nabiki's bed next to Kasumi. All three daughters are looking at their father in amazement and concern. They are all worried about what will come next, yet can't wait to hear it.  
  
{I hope I have the strength to tell them. I have to have the strength. They need to know. I was too weak, too foolish, too...} Soun lifts his head to look at his daughters. Tears are streaming from his eyes, but he remains in control. Soun takes a deep breath. "This story is something I should have told you girls a long time ago. Maybe even right after your mother... You were all filled with such innocence. You were all just children, and I just couldn't tell you."  
  
Kasumi looks at her father with the most caring and understanding look she could convey. "Father, no matter what happens or what you say, we will love you and always be here for you. Have faith in that."  
  
Soun spends a few seconds looking at each of his daughters and smiles. "How lucky I am to have such daughters. Hopefully, as you say, I will still have you after this. Before we begin, could you come in here Ranma? I believe you need to hear this."  
  
The three Tendo girls look at the door as Ranma sheepishly walks into the room. Shampoo is still standing in the hallway. "Shampoo, at this time, this issue is a family matter. I mean no offense to you, but I must ask you to leave."  
  
{This is bad. I just can't leave them to handle this themselves. How did Mr. Tendo know we were here, anyway? I will leave, but only to go get help.} "Shampoo understand Mr. Tendo, but Shampoo be back to help." Shampoo rushes down the hallway and out of the home.  
  
Akane looks over at Ranma "Ranma, at a time like this you were spying on us? How could you?"  
  
Kasumi turns to Akane and says, "Akane, Ranma was just worried about you..." Akane quickly looks at her sister in shock as Kasumi quickly adds, "...and the rest of us. I am sure he just concerned for our safety. Right, Ranma?  
  
Ranma sits down on the floor. "Um, right! I was just about Ak- all of you. That's it exactly." {Man, I can't believe almost slipped and said I was worried about... Am I? Argh! I can't think about this now. There's more important stuff to worry about.} "I'm sorry for interrupting you, Mr. Tendo. Keep going with your story."  
  
Soun clears his throat and prepares to tell the story he hoped never to tell. "Everything begins about ten years ago. Saotome and I had finally come up with a way to get rid of Master Happosai. We both had children at this time, and wanted our families to live in relative peace. We left on a training trip with the master, the one where we locked him in that cave. Our lives were complete. We had our friends, our family, and the future looked bright as ever. Or so we thought."  
  
"When we returned, I came to my home to find it empty. The only thing I found was a note from your grandparents saying to go to their home as soon as I found the letter. I sprinted over as fast as I could. I had feared the worst. Unfortunately, I was right to fear."  
  
Soun stops, wiping the tears from his face and taking a deep breath before continuing. Everyone in the room is intently hanging on his every word. "You children were there, almost totally oblivious to what had happened. The only thing you knew is that you all came home from school to find police all over the house and you couldn't find your mother anywhere. Your grandparents came to get you, and had only been told you your mother was sick, and people had taken her make her better."  
  
Nabiki suddenly remembers something and decides to ask her father about it. "Daddy, what illness did mother die of? I, amazingly enough, couldn't get a copy of her death certificate to see what the cause of death was, and every time I asked you all I got was crying and tears." {It's almost like he is hiding it from us. Has he been lying to us this whole time?} "Daddy, did mother really die from a sickness?"  
  
"No Nabiki, she did not. She died because her husband, your father, was too stupid and foolish not be at home the one time she truly needed me. She died because I was unable to protect her."  
  
Akane looks at Soun and asks with the sense of fear present in her voice, "Daddy, how did she die?"  
  
"Please Akane, let me explain. Back then, I was teaching the art to students as a source of income. There has only been one student I have ever had to refuse teaching. Unfortunately, he was probably the most talented student I ever had. He was using the art to hurt people. Not in self-defense, but in bullying tactics and eventually outright assault and theft. He was furious and swore revenge when I refused to teach him further. He got his revenge in a greater way than I thought imaginable."  
  
Everyone else in the room gasps as they connect the two ideas. "He apparently had been watching the house for some time, waiting for a chance to strike. Then I left on that training trip, and gave him everything he wanted. My ignorance, my egotistical belief that nothing could possibly go wrong cost your mother her life. So you see, it is my fault your mother died."  
  
Ranma struggled with the current situation, and suddenly it came to him. {Man, I'm sure glad I talked to all those masters at the dojos we went to while I was on my training trip with Pops. He wouldn't know how to answer this one, but I do.} "But Mr. Tendo, you can't blame yourself for what someone else did. Look at me. My pops has done a lot of things I am honor-bound to defend, but I'm not to blame for those things. To this day, I still blame pops for just about half the stuff that has happened to me. Not that I believe it, but I guess most of the rest must be my fault, because there's no one else to blame. There are certain things you have to do, and realizing what you are responsible for is one of them. As martial artists, we're required to atone for our mistakes, not someone else's."  
  
Nabiki is still in bed staring intently at Ranma. Her expression becoming the icy business-like expression she uses to hide her feelings. Akane has buried her head into Kasumi's shoulder, silently sobbing away. She lifts her head to look at Ranma in amazement. Even Kasumi looks surprisingly at Ranma. Ranma looks around the room in response a little nervously. "What? I may not be very smart, but I know how a martial artist is supposed to act. Sorry if I said something wrong."  
  
Soun stares at Ranma for a second and reaches over to put a hand on his shoulder. "Ranma, thank you. I don't think anyone could have said that better. I am truly glad to know a martial artist like you is engaged to my daughter."  
  
{Wow. I've never heard Mr. Tendo say anything like that before. I guess I should say something.} "Thanks, Mr. Tendo. I think."  
  
Nabiki turns her attention back to her father. "Daddy, We don't blame you for that, but what does that have to do with those guys attacking Akane and I?"  
  
"Once I found out what happened, I was furious. I had sworn revenge upon the man who had done this to my beloved wife." Soun starts to get angry. Not demon-head angry, but it seems as if he is filling with an uncontrollable, boiling rage. "He didn't kill her. He beat her. He... he raped her. He left her to suffer in pain just so I would watch her die. We hunted him. Saotome and I combed the streets and hunted him down." Soun's anger relaxes back into a depressed state. "Saotome kept me from killing him for what he'd done. We brought him to justice. Even then, he still swore revenge. About three months ago, this man was released from prison. Free to continue torturing my family, and I am too weak to stop him."  
  
During this final part of Soun's story, everyone else in the room became silent. No one is even capable of saying anything. Nabiki's icy gaze has fallen to one of fear, doubt, and amazement. Akane is still clinging to Kasumi, but is staring at her father. Ranma just bows his head and stares at the floor.   
  
Kasumi, however, is in tears. "I remember mother, when she was in the hospital. She was wrapped in bandages, but I never knew why. I never thought to question it." {Since mother has been gone, I have tried my best to maintain this family. I must continue to do so, especially now of all times.} Kasumi untangles herself from Akane and makes her way over to her father. Kasumi hugs her father saying, "Father, I want you to know we still love you, none of this is your fault, we will make it through this."  
  
Soun whispers to his daughter, "Will we truly make it through this?"  
  
"Of course we will father. We will make it through this like we have every other crisis we have faced. Like a family, father. Together, like a family." The other two girls get up and rush to their father to join in the group hug. No one notices as Ranma quietly gets up and leaves the room.   
  
Suddenly, Akane turns to Nabiki and says loudly, "Hey, you're hurt and supposed to be in bed! What do you think you're doing?"  
  
"I'm hugging my father, Akane. You don't have to worry about me that much. I'm fine." Nabiki releases the hug and slowly moves back towards her bed expecting what's coming up.  
  
Akane menacingly approaches her sister, but has a slight smile on her face. "Are you a doctor, Nabiki? NO! Get back in that bed right now!"  
  
"Alright, I'm going." Nabiki climbs back into bed and looks at Akane. "You know, if you yell at me too much, this injury may get worse. Who knows what could happen? Hey, Where's Ranma?"  
  
Akane turns around to look. "I don't know. He was here until we hugged daddy. You don't think he left because he felt lonely do you? He has a family, too. Why would he get upset?"  
  
"Akane, his dad isn't exactly the greatest of fathers, and would you want to hug your mother when you constantly have to worry about being a 'man among men'?"  
  
Akane lifts her head and looks out the doorway of Nabiki's room. "Maybe I should go find him. I'll be right back," Akane points at Nabiki, "and you stay in that bed!" Akane then runs off.  
  
Nabiki looks at Kasumi. "You know, if I didn't know better, I'd say she actually cares about that dense, stupid, socially-challenged fiancée of hers."  
  
Kasumi looks at Nabiki with a perfectly straight face. "Nabiki, be nice. Ranma is not stupid." Both girls stare at each other and laugh out loud.  
  
Meanwhile, Ranma is on the roof trying his hardest to come with an answer to his current problem. {So, we're gonna have to go get this guy, but do I stay here or do I go? If I go, then the guy might come back here, like when Mr. Tendo was on that training trip. If I leave, then this guy might get away and continue trying to hurt Ak... ARGH! Ever since Jusendo I keep doing that. Why am I always thinking about her? I think it's because... ARGH! I'm doing it again! I have to think about how to stop this guy. I don't like either option, so there's got to be another one. I just have to figure out what it is.}  
  
"Ranma."  
  
Ranma looks over to see Akane has made her way to the roof and is staring at him. "Hi Akane."  
  
Akane walks over and sits down next to Ranma. "Ranma, what are you thinking about?"  
  
"I'm trying to figure out how to get this guy. If I go after him, he might come back here while I'm gone, but if I stay then he might not ever stop. I know there's a solution to this, but I'm not sure..."  
  
Akane forcefully smacks Ranma in the back of his head. "You idiot! You can't do everything yourself all the time you know? There are other martial artists here that can help too. You're always trying to do everything yourself! Why don't you try asking for some help? In case you've forgotten, I'm one of those martial artists you could ask."   
  
"You're right, Akane."  
  
Akane looks at Ranma very suspiciously. "I am?"  
  
Ranma stands up and assumes a victorious stance. "Yeah, there are lots of other martial artists that can help. I'll need to find Ryoga. I bet I can get Shampoo and Mousse to help. I know Ukyo will help. Thanks Akane, that's the answer that I...I..."  
  
Ranma is now looking in horror at Akane, who is holding her mallet and encased in a blue aura. "So you ask all your other fiancées, but not me? Ranma you jerk!" Akane brings down her mallet and embeds Ranma into the tiles.  
  
Inside the house, Nabiki laughs, looks over to Kasumi, and says, "Sounds like Akane found Ranma."  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Thanks to Langdz for help pre-reading this.  
Author's Notes: [UPDATED 08/11/02] Final draft. This is turning out much better than I orginally thought. Hopefully, I can keep the light comedy and cute moments from making it appear too dark. Anyway, please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (ntwinkie@effectnet.com) 


	4. Chapter 4

Broken Hearts, Mended Souls  
By  
Nuclear Twinkie  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Disclaimer: In all seriousness, all rights to Ranma1/2 and its characters go to Rumiko Takahashi. In all silliness... Kasumi, would you go ahead and tell the people what the disclaimer is for. "Well, um, are you sure I'm the right person for this?" Go on, Kasumi. You'll do fine. "OK. This disclaimer is to give credit to Rumiko Takahashi for all the wonderful characters she has created. Oh my, I'm one of those characters, aren't I? Anyway, it's also to notify readers that this fanfic author is not taking credit for creating them. That would be wrong, wouldn't it? No one would actually do that, would they?"  
  
{} = Character Thoughts  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Shampoo, what the hell are you doing in my restaurant?"  
  
{Somehow, I knew this wasn't going to be easy.} Shampoo is standing inside the entrance to Ucchan's Okonomiyaki. She is looking at an incredibly annoyed Ukyo Kuonji, who is just finishing up from the dinner rush. Konatsu is wiping clean one of the tables in the dining room. "Spatula girl, this not time for argument. Tendo girls and airen need help."  
  
"What kind of crap are you trying to pull now Shampoo? You had better not be lying to me."  
  
{Damn spatula girl. We don't have time for this. My airen needs help, and she argues with me.} "Shampoo not lying. Bad men attack Akane and Nabiki Tendo. They hurt Nabiki. We need help to hunt bad men who do this, unless you want I tell Ranma you no care."  
  
"Don't you dare! If Ranma-honey needs help, I'll be the one to help him. Why don't you just go back to that second-rate ramen shop of yours while I go see if Ranma-honey really needs help?"  
  
{Those Tendo girls really need all the help I can get, but if she insults the Nekohanten one more time, I'll make it so she's the one that needs help. I'll get her follow me, one way or another.} Shampoo starts yelling, "Stupid spatula girl! You listen to Shampoo! Bad men hurt Nabiki Tendo! We go hunt down bad men! If you want help, come to Tendo dojo. If not want help, stay here. Then you could keep cooking tasteless cardboard you call food. Shampoo leave now." Shampoo smiles slightly, then turns and quickly leaves Ucchan's.   
  
"What did you say about my okonomiyaki, and in my own restaurant? Why you... Konatsu! Finish closing the restaurant! I'm gonna show that Amazon hussy a thing or two!" Ukyo yanks out her battle spatula and sprints out the door. "Shampoo, get back here!"  
  
Ukyo is sprinting down the street after Shampoo. {What the heck is that Amazon hussy up to? She said that Akane and Nabiki were attacked, and that Nabiki is hurt. I don't know why she would care, especially since she's probably happy Akane got hurt, but I'd better keep following her anyway. If she's lying, I'll hurt her a lot, otherwise I'll just hurt her for that crack about my okonomiyaki.} "Shampoo, get back here!"  
  
Farther up the road, a guy with long black hair and thick-lenses glasses hears the screaming. {That must mean my beautiful Shampoo is coming! Wait, I think I see her running down the street towards me.} Mousse prepares to 'allow' Shampoo to jump into his arms. He feels something move quickly past him, and then jumps into the road, arms apart. "Shampoo, my love! I'm so happy to see you!" Mousse feels a woman fly into his arms, so he suddenly closes them in a loving embrace. {She actually ran into my arms! I'm so happy!} "Shampoo, together, we can..."  
  
"Who do you think you're hugging, you jackass!" Ukyo breaks the bear hug and slams her spatula down onto Mousse's head. Mousse falls to the pavement stunned.  
  
"Sh-sh-shampoo?" Mousse looks up and squints thru his glasses. "Ukyo Kuonji? You are not my Shampoo."  
  
Ukyo looks down at him. Her hands are tightly squeezing her battle spatula. "Really? What was your first guess?"  
  
Shampoo walks up behind Mouse and smacks him on the back of his head. "Stupid, blind duck-boy. Stop staring at spatula girl and follow me. Airen and others need help. We go." Shampoo turns around and starts to sprint towards the Tendo dojo.  
  
"Ukyo Kuonji, do you know what is going on?"  
  
"Not yet, but I'm gonna find out as soon as I get to Ranma-honey." Ukyo side steps around Mousse and runs down the street following Shampoo's path.   
  
{I guess the only way to find out what's happening is to follow. If Saotome has done anything to my Shampoo, he'll pay.} Mousse gets up and follows the other two martial artists to the Tendo dojo.  
  
Meanwhile, at the Tendo dojo...  
  
"There is absolutely no way you're going!"  
  
"I'm a martial artist too! I've already defeated four of these guys, and I can defeat more. You need all the help you can get, which means I'm going!"  
  
"How in the world could an uncute, unskilled tomboy like you possibly help us? You should just stay here and..." --SMASH-- Ranma Saotome's world goes black his head becomes embedded in Tendo backyard. Akane lifts her mallet off Ranma's head and continues to yell at him.  
  
"If this 'uncute, unskilled tomboy' can take you out like that, then we have nothing to worry about if I go." Akane turns around and starts to walk back into the house. Suddenly, Akane's mallet is knocked out of her hand and she is lying on her back with a fist less than an inch from her face. Above, she sees Ranma kneeling over her with a look of determination on his face. His eyes however, almost convey a sense of pain.   
  
"Akane, I'm not gonna let you get hurt because you overestimate your own skills. This guy was the best student your dad ever taught." Ranma moves his fist away and unconsciously moves his face closer to Akane's. "Stay here. Please?" Ranma and Akane spend the next several seconds staring at each other until a very jealous Chinese Amazon interrupts them.   
  
"Aiyaa! What you doing with airen?"  
  
Almost faster than the eye can follow, Ranma and Akane move and are now sitting several feet apart and sputtering hasty excuses.  
  
"What do ya' mean? We ain't doin' nothin'!" "I would never do anything with that jerk!"  
  
Ranma and Akane look over to see Shampoo and Ukyo standing there with weapons drawn. Neither of them looks very happy. Mousse walks up to the two angry looking girls, followed Soun and Genma. If Genma's look can be described as troubled, Soun's is barely controlled rage.  
  
"What do you think you're doing staring at my daughter with your weapons drawn." Soun's voice was quiet, yet portrayed the rage he was feeling. Shampoo and Ukyo turn around to stare at the Tendo patriarch, their fear clear on their faces. Genma puts a hand on his friend's shoulder in attempt to ease his tension.   
  
"Come now, Tendo. They probably were just attempting a little sparring match to warm up for what's to come." Genma looks at the two girls intently. "Isn't that right, girls?"  
  
"Of course it is. That's enough of a workout for me." "Shampoo just sparring, but all done now."  
  
Both girls quickly put their weapons away, turning their gaze from the burning stare Soun was giving them. Genma slowly turns Soun around and leads him back into the house. "Come on Tendo. Let's go visit Nabiki some more."  
  
As the kids in the backyard look at the two fathers walk into the house, Soun appears to lose all energy and his shoulders slump as he starts muttering, "I'll never be able to protect them. Never."  
  
Mousse looks over at Ranma. "Saotome, what was that? I have never seen him that angry before. That actually felt like battle aura coming off him."  
  
{Oh man, how am I gonna explain all this without saying stuff I'm not supposed to.} Ranma turns to look at Akane, almost asking for help with his gaze. "Well, you see, uh..."  
  
"Ranma, it's OK. Just don't tell them everything." Akane stands up and starts to walk into the house.  
  
"Akane, where are you going?"   
  
Akane stops to turn and look at Ranma. "I'm going to go see how daddy is doing. Besides, I don't think I can hear that story one more time." Akane sighs as she turns back to the house and walks inside.  
  
{Great, tell them, just not everything. What does she mean by that? Oh well, the less I say, the less I can screw up.} Ranma, still sitting, turns to face the others. "Sit down guys, this might take a while."  
  
Akane walks upstairs and down the hallway to Nabiki's room as she hears Dr. Tofu saying, "Yes, that would be best. I can take the girls over to my place, especially since our enemy knows where the dojo is."   
  
{If they think I'm gonna just go over to Tofu's and hide, they've got another thing coming!} Akane slams open the door and screams, "I am staying here! They will not attack my home! I will be here to defend it!"  
  
Around the room Tofu, Kasumi (who is on the opposite side of the room from Tofu), Nabiki, Genma and Soun look at Akane in amazement. Kasumi says, "Akane, it would be best if you came over to Dr. Tofu's with us. I really think..."  
  
"NO! I am a martial artist! I am honor bound to protect this dojo! I have done it before and I will do it again! I will not run like a coward into the night! I WILL NOT RUN FROM THE MAN WHO MURDERED MY MOTHER!" Akane turns around to run down the hallway and to her room. She slams the door shut. {I will not run! I am a martial artist! I will defend my home! I will defend it! Mother would want me to stay I know it! I just know... she would...} Akane collapses to the floor in the middle of her room. She brings her knees to her chest, wraps her arms around her legs, and begins to cry.  
  
"Well, that's about it. We need to be able to defend the dojo and still have enough people left to find this guy." Ranma looks around at the other three martial artists. "If only Ryoga were here, this wouldn't be..."  
  
"Where the hell am I now?!?" Ranma turns around to see Ryoga facing the corner of the wall surrounding the Tendo home.  
  
{If I didn't know better, I'd swear he does that on purpose.} "Hey, Mr. P. Over here!"  
  
Ryoga stomps over to Ranma, grabs the front of his shirt, and lifts him off the ground. "Ranma, I've told you not to call me that! You'd better take it back or else!"  
  
"Fine, I take it back."   
  
Ryoga face becomes one of absolute confusion as he drops Ranma. "You do?"  
  
"Yes, Ryoga I do. We have more important things to worry about right now. Akane and her sisters are in trouble and need our help. Ryoga, we..."   
  
Everyone turns towards the house as they hear Akane scream, "I will not run from the man who murdered my mother!" Everyone just stares at the house. No one says anything. Ryoga looks at the others and see their saddened expressions. {Murdered? I knew Akane's mother died, but I thought it was from some illness. Akane sounded so sad, so hurt, so...pained.} "Ranma, what happened? Why..."  
  
"There will be enough time for that later." They all turn to see Genma walking into the backyard. "Ryoga, sit down. I need to talk to all of you. Ranma, go upstairs. Kasumi needs you for something."  
  
Ryoga sits down as Genma does and listens intently to the conversation as Ranma walks into the house. Ranma meets Kasumi at the top of the stairs. "What can I do for ya, Kasumi?"  
  
"Ranma, it's not me you need to do something for. It's Akane." Kasumi looks like she is about to cry as her eyes fill with tears. "She's very hurt right now and needs a source of strength. I don't know if I can provide that for her right now. I know you can. Please, Ranma. I'm not pushing you together. I'm asking you to do anything you don't want to do. I'm not..." Kasumi feels a hand on her shoulder and turns to see Dr. Tofu there. "Oh, Tofu!" Kasumi turns and buries her head into Tofu's shoulder as she starts crying.   
  
Tofu is shaking, but remains in control as he puts his arms around Kasumi. "Go Ranma. Akane does need you."  
  
Ranma nods his head in agreement and walks down the hallway to Akane's room. {I hope I'm up for this. If Kasumi has lost it, then I don't even know what to expect from Akane. The only thing I do know is that no one will hurt her. She will be OK, because I will protect her. No matter what, and that even includes this.} Taking a deep breath, Ranma lightly knocks on the door. "Akane, can I come in?" Hearing no answer, he opens the door and peeks inside. He sees Akane still curled up in the middle of her room.  
  
Ranma quickly rushes over and kneels beside Akane. He puts a hand on her shoulder and says, "Akane are you okay?"   
  
Akane looks up at Ranma. Her eyes are red and swollen from crying for so long and she has tears running down her cheeks. "Oh, Ranma!" Akane grabs Ranma shirt, as if she is clinging to it just to stay up. She lays her head on Ranma's shoulder and starts to cry.  
  
{What? Hey wait! I shouldn't... I should protect her, and that includes this.} Ranma slowly takes his arms and wraps them around Akane. "Everything will be okay. I promise Akane. I promise."  
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Author's Notes: [UPDATED 08/17/02] Final Draft. Wow! I wanted this chapter to be longer, but it seemed like such a good place to stop it. Anyway, please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (ntwinkie@effectnet.com) 


	5. Chapter 5

Broken Hearts, Mended Souls  
By  
Nuclear Twinkie  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Disclaimer: In all seriousness, all rights to Ranma1/2 and its characters go to Rumiko Takahashi. In all silliness... Excuse me, Mr. Sanzenin. Could you help me with this? "Of course, my good man. These characters do not belong to the fanfic writer, but to that vision of loveliness, Rumiko Takahashi. Ah, such a beautiful woman. I swear, sometime during this fanfic, I will steal a kiss from Rumiko's tender lips!" I don't think so Mikado, and just for that... Catch! "A little doll? Why would I want..." "That dolly is so cute! Arianna! Give me my sweet Arianna!" --SMASH--  
  
{} = Character Thoughts  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
It is well into the evening and everyone has gathered in the Tendo living room. Soun is at the head of the table, his head bowed in tired sadness. Kasumi sits on his left next to Tofu. To Soun's right, Genma looks over the assorted martial artists. Ryoga is next to Genma, and Ukyo is next to him. Continuing around the kotatsu, Mousse is sitting next to Shampoo. He is actually not professing his love for Shampoo. And back around to Ranma and Akane who are sitting next to Tofu. Akane is dressed in her yellow gi, and Ranma is dressed in his usual Chinese garb, with a sleeveless shirt and metal bracers.  
  
Genma clears his throat to get everyone's attention and then says, "After discussing our options, it has become apparent that we need to guard the dojo while we hunt this man down. The local law enforcement would take too long to respond to this, and time is of the essence. Kasumi and Nabiki will go with Dr. Tofu back to his home. They do not know where it is, and that should keep them protected."  
  
Ranma slams his hand down on the table. "Wait a minute, pops! What about Akane? Why isn't she going with Dr. Tofu?" Akane turns her head to look at Ranma. The anger is apparent on her face, yet she says and does nothing.  
  
"There are a couple of reasons, boy. One, she is only one of three people who have seen these men fight. Two, she is a martial artist and we need all of those we can get. Finally, I don't even think you are going to be able to get her to leave the dojo."  
  
Ranma stares at his father. {Man, he's been doing some thinking about all this. I never thought the old guy had it in him. Now, as far Akane leaving all I have to do is... uh oh!} Ranma turns to Akane to see Akane staring him down. She remains very quiet. A challenge is clearly present in her eyes, along with the pain of recent events. {There's no way I want to argue with her now. Pops' better have a good plan set up for this.} Ranma turns to look at his father. "Go ahead. This plan better be good though."  
  
Genma responds, "I believe it's the best plan we have given the current situation. Anyway, That will leave Akane, Shampoo, Ukyo, and Ryoga to guard the dojo while Mousse, Ranma, Soun, and myself go after our enemy."  
  
This causes everyone to immediately start voicing objections. "Hey, I wanna go with Ranma-honey!" "Shampoo go fight with Airen" "Where Shampoo goes, I too shall go!" "I want to go help beat the hell out of this guy, too!" "I'm not leaving Akane!"  
  
That last statement was from Ranma. He is now at the center of everyone's attention, especially Akane's. {Oh crap! I really screwed up! Not only can I not stop thinking about Akane, but then I say something like that. What am I going to do?}  
  
"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Everyone freezes as they feel that battle aura from Soun rolling across the room in waves. He stares intently at each person in the room briefly while he says, "You will all behave yourselves. You will all listen. You will all participate in this plan or not at all. You will all act like martial artists, not spoiled children. Am I making myself clear?" Everyone in room silently nods at Soun. He then bows his head and returns to his saddened, lethargic state.  
  
Genma decides to break the silence. "Please allow me to explain. As I stated earlier, this plan is thought out and what I believe the best we have at the moment. Ryoga and Ranma are the two best martial artists here. To put both in one place would weaken the other. It was decided that Ryoga would stay for two reasons. One, leaving Ranma trapped in the house with his three fiancées could cause... complications. Two, and no offense to you Ryoga, but staying here at the dojo will provide you with the least chance of getting lost."  
  
Ranma asks, "That's a decent explanation for Ryoga and me, but what about the rest?"  
  
"Keeping all three fiancées here further removes complications, and seems equally fair to all of them. Soun and I know this man best, since we have fought him before, so we are going. This leaves Mousse, who will go with us. The versatility of his Hidden Weapons Style may help to compensate for any unforeseen circumstances. Any other questions?" Genma looks around the room. {I feel like I'm leading children into battle, but they are martial artists first. If they want to play games with dolls and other toys like children, they can do that later.} No one has said anything. Genma stands up. "If no one has nothing else to say, let's get going. Tofu, get Kasumi and Nabiki to your home as quickly as possible. Ryoga, get these girls to a defensible position in the house and stay there. You may want to think about choosing the dojo. There are no windows and only one door. Ranma, Mousse, Soun... let's go."   
  
Ranma jumps to a standing position. "What a minute! It's late, and everybody's tired! We can't just start wandering into the night and expect to run into him. Do you even have any idea where to look? Most importantly, why should we follow you? You haven't exactly been the pillar of responsible fatherhood, you know."  
  
Genma stares at his son for a moment contemplating an answer. "Ranma, listen to me for a second. In fact all of you please listen. I will admit I haven't been the perfect father, but I always did what I thought was best for Ranma. I made him a 'man among men' as proclaimed by his mother and one of the best martial artists in the world. Now that we have lived here with the Tendo's for a while, they are included in my thoughts. I know no one in this room thinks very highly of me, and some of you even hate me. You are probably thinking 'Why is that fat, selfish, old man acting so different?' Right now, I don't care what any of you think. My life-long friend Soun Tendo needs my help, and I am going to do what I think is best. If you want to help, then do so. Otherwise leave." Genma turns around walks out onto the porch and across the yard to stare into the koi pond.  
  
Soun slowly gets up and wordlessly walk out to Genma. Soun momentarily puts a hand on Genma's shoulder and then walks to the main entry gate for the home. The others are still standing in the living room, totally stunned. They all turn to look at Ranma, who responds, "Don't look at me. I don't know why he's acting like this. I just didn't know he had it in him to act like this."  
  
As Kasumi and Tofu are walking out of the room, Kasumi says, "I remember on Togenkyo when everyone came into the throne room to fight the guards, Genma was there too. He fought to save us just like everybody else did. He may not always be a decent man, but at heart I think he's a good one." Tofu and Kasumi leave the room to get Nabiki and leave.  
  
Akane looks at her sister leaving the room, then turns to Ranma and says, "I don't think your dad's all that bad, Ranma. Sure he's lazy, and thoughtless, and eats too much. However, I remember when you first went into the Neko-ken at school, and he dressed like that old lady just to help you. Cross-dressing in public to help you has to count for something, right?"  
  
"Ranma-honey, I remember when he hiked with you all the way to Yomogi valley to help you try to remove the strength sapping moxibustion. He even helped with your training after that for the Hiryü Shöten Ha."  
  
Ranma looks slowly at everyone and says, "Yeah, I suppose he is an alright guy. I wouldn't be nearly as good a martial artist I am now without Pops. Mousse, let's get going then." Ranma turns to walk away when he feels a hand on his shoulder. He turns around only to be quickly enveloped in a hug.  
  
Ukyo breaks the hug and backs up. "Ranma-honey, these guys have guns. Promise you'll come back, okay?"   
  
"Don't worry about that. I'll be fine."  
  
Ranma now feels the softest Amazon glomp he has ever had. It's almost like a normal hug. "Ranma make this man pay and then come back to Shampoo."  
  
Ranma pulls back from Shampoo and says, "Man, would you guys relax? I'm not going to die or anything. I've faced stronger martial artists than this guy."  
  
Akane stomps up to Ranma and angrily states, "Ranma, we're just worried about you! Can't you understand that! This guy is a murderer. We can't help worrying... about you." Akane starts to look a little embarrassed about showing such emotions, but finishes in a quiet voice with "Just come back safely, okay?" Akane reaches up and quickly kisses Ranma's cheek before backing away. Akane looks at the other two fiancées and smiles slightly realizing she got the upper hand in this exchange.  
  
{What the...? She just... In front of... She kissed me? Ukyo and Shampoo before have kissed me, even more seriously than that, but it never made me feel this? What the heck is...} Ranma's stunned thoughts are interrupted by a much more masculine sounding voice. "Hey Ranma, snap out it! Should I hug you goodbye too?" Ranma turns to see Ryoga standing in front of him with a smile on his face.  
  
Ranma gets a slight smile on his face. "Who would want to hug a pig like you anyway, Ryoga?"  
  
Ryoga gets noticeably angry but almost immediately suppresses it. "This coming from the cross-dressing pervert. Just hit him once for me, would ya?"  
  
Ranma start to walk into the backyard as he turns his head back to say, "Don't worry, I'll even hit him twice for ya." He walks up behind his father. "Hey Pops, we're ready to go. Pops, are you listening?" {He better not be doing what I think he's doing.} Ranma walks around to face his father. "Hey old man! This is no time for sleeping!"  
  
Genma blinks and looks at Ranma. "Took you long enough, boy. Let's go, and Ranma... thanks."   
  
Ranma blinks in surprise and then follows Genma over to the front gate. "No problem old man, just don't go trying to hug me or nothing. The last time you did that, it almost killed me." Ranma quickly shivers as he remembers. {Hell's Cradle. Ugh.}  
  
Ranma, Genma, and Mousse reach the gate where Soun, Tofu, Kasumi, and Nabiki are standing. Soun is in near tears, as he is talking to Tofu. "Tofu, please protect my little girls. They are everything to me."  
  
"Don't worry, sir. I will protect them with my life. Kasumi, Nabiki, let's go." Tofu pouts one arm around each girl and walks out of the Tendo compound.   
  
Soun turns to the three men at the gate. "We are going to the hideout he had the last time we found him. The man is smart enough to realize we will go there first and has probably filled the place with traps and ambushes."  
  
Mousse gets the same confused look on his face as Ranma. "Excuse me, Mr. Tendo, but would that be wise? If this man is that smart, then wouldn't he be somewhere else."  
  
"You see Mousse, the man is smart but also arrogant. He'll probably feel that traps and ambushes alone will finish us off, or at least weaken us enough to make us an easy kill. Don't worry, he'll be there." Soun turns and walks out of his home followed by the others. They can feel the same battle aura that has been coming of Soun, only in much smaller amounts and much more control. {I hope I get to come back here, but if it costs me my life, I will end his. He will never again threaten or hurt my family. Never.}  
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Author's Notes: [UPDATED 08/23/02] Final draft. This is the rest of the stuff I wanted in Chapter 4. It's pretty depressing, but it's almost non-stop action after this for the next 3 or 4 chapters. Hold on to something, boys and girls, because anything could happen. (Not that I don't have the entire story arc planned out, I just thought this sounded dramatic). Anyway, please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (ntwinkie@effectnet.com) 


	6. Chapter 6

Broken Hearts, Mended Souls  
By  
Nuclear Twinkie  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Disclaimer: In all seriousness, all rights to Ranma1/2 and its characters go to Rumiko Takahashi. In all silliness... I can't believe what I go through for a laugh. Hey, Happosai! Come help with the disclaimer. "You have a lot of nerve interrupting me during the televised All Japan Swimsuit Competition. What do ya want?" I need help with disclaimer, Happosai. "Yeah, yeah. Rumiko Takahashi, blah, blah. Now where's my reward?" What kind of help is that? No panties for you! "No panties for me? Happo Fire Burst for you!" ---BOOOM!--- Ouch. Help. Pain.  
  
{} = Character Thoughts  
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"These guys suck!" Ranma is standing inside a large, supposedly abandoned warehouse with Mousse, Soun, and Genma. The interior is filled with piles of useless junk, which has been obviously moved around to form a maze. The only visible light source is the lantern being carried by Mousse. Around them are piled the bodies of dozens of would-be assailants. "C'mon pops, why can't we just split up and find this guy? Any one of us could have taken all these guys alone."  
  
"Ranma, do not base your opinion of our enemy on these common street thugs. He is much more cunning, and much more skilled than these men. We have to..."   
  
Genma is interrupted as Mousse dodges to side. A split second later, a loud crack reverberates through the warehouse as the lantern shatters. Mousse shouts, "Gunfire!" and jumps up and away from his current position. The others quickly follow suit as bullets litter the area the four martial artists were in.  
  
A voice is heard through the intercom system of the warehouse. "You think I'm going to be stupid enough to face you! The fat martial artist is right to say not to underestimate me! You're all going to die a slow, painful death!"   
  
More bullets are randomly shot into the area. All the martial artists are now separated. Ranma is crouched down next to one of the junk piles, hoping for cover from the constant barrage of bullets. {Man, I have got to find this guy. There must be a dozen guys on each side of this place shooting down here. I'm going to have to take them out one at a time. I'll need to get to one side to get more cover from their attacks.} Ranma tenses up and starts sprinting through the maze, trying to reach one side of the building. {I can't go over these piles of junk without making myself totally visible.}   
  
Ranma finally reaches a dead end near the edge of the large room. Looking up, he notices the catwalk and sees the flashes of gunfire almost directly above him on a catwalk. {I have got to time this right.} Watching to see the pattern of gunfire, he waits till a pause between shots and jumps up directly into the shooter's face. His fist connects with the side of head of the man's head, sending him instantly into unconsciousness. Ranma then springs off the catwalk and clings to the ceiling. {Man, I have a great view up here. It's so dark though. Hey, another guy with a gun.} Ranma, clinging to the ceiling, makes his way directly over another gunman. He releases the ceiling with his feet, bring them swinging down into the man's head and back up onto the ceiling. {This is going to be easy.}  
  
"They're everywhere!" "Save yourselves!" Ranma hears the men starting to panic throughout the warehouse. {I must not be the only one taking them out.} As lights suddenly turn on throughout the place, the voice through the intercom shouts, "The lights are on! Shoot them! Kill them!"  
  
Ranma quickly makes his way across the ceiling, hoping to hide. "He's on the ceiling!" Ranma lets go of the ceiling and pushes off with his feet. His fist connects with the midsection of the man who shouted the warning. The man falls back on to the catwalk as Ranma springs off him to connect a kick with another man. Gunfire starts filling the area, so Ranma jumps off the catwalk and lands about halfway across the warehouse. Unfortunately, the floor underneath him gives way and Ranma finds himself falling. He almost dodges the crude spikes at the bottom. One creates a small cut on his let forearm while a deep gash is ripped in the thigh of his right leg.   
  
The intercom voice shouts, "He fell in one of the pits! Get down there and shoot him! Make sure he's dead, and watch out for the rest of them!" Ranma is wincing in pain. {I can't jump out of here. What am I going to do? Think! Think! What's that?} Ranma feels a slight breeze. He stops all movement and feels it coming not from above, but from in between one of the boards on the side of the pit. He smiles and delivers a punch to shatter several of the boards. He makes his way around the spikes and hobbles into the hole. He appears to be in a dimly lit room, filled with cots and a few tables. {Looks like some kind of barracks. Maybe this is where they live.}  
  
Looking around the room, Ranma sees four or five unconscious bodies lying on the floor in the middle of the room. {Looks like one of us was already here.} Ranma winces in pain looks down at his leg. There is blood running down his leg and onto the floor. He makes his way over to one of the beds and rips a strip off one the blankets to tie around the wound, wincing in pain as he does so. {When I get my hands on this guy, I'm going to beat the hell out of him!}  
  
Ranma hears commotion from the top of the pit and realizes he needs to leave. He makes his way to the only door in the room. He notices it is slightly ajar, and quickly darts his head around the door the peek into the hallway. He sees someone right in front of the door. As he pulls his head back and braces himself, a fist enters the spot where his head was. The door is slammed open with incredible force. Unfortunately, the injury on Ranma's leg is worse than he thought, as the door sends him flying backwards. He manages to roll and come up facing a man who has a rather angry look in his eyes.   
  
"Ranma, are you alright?"  
  
"I think so, Mr. Tendo, but those guys up there know I'm down here and we need to get out of here and fast."  
  
"You're right, son. Let's get going, and stay behind me." Ranma follows Soun into the hallway. They walk down the hallway about ten feet to a 90° turn. They hear a couple of men coming down the hallway. Ranma and Soun can hear them talking about the 'insane super fighters' they are supposed to kill. Ranma and Soun smile as they back up against the wall to wait. As the two men come around the corner, Soun grabs one and slams him into unconsciousness on the opposite wall. Ranma darts in and jabs the other man in the solar plexus. When he bends over, Ranma delivers a quick chop to the back of the man's head to incapacitate him. Soun motions Ranma to follow as they turn the corner and continue down the hallway.  
  
Moving quickly yet quietly, they approach a passage going off to the right as the current one continues on. Soun darts his head around the corner and comes back with a slight cut across his cheek. On the opposite wall, two daggers are vibrating from the deep impact. Ranma stares at the weapons momentarily, and then loudly whispers around the corner, "Mousse, you idiot! Stop throwing daggers at us!"  
  
Ranma hears an apologetic quack and looks down to see Mousse in duck form. "Mousse, you idiot! You hurt Mr. Tendo!"  
  
Soun puts a hand on Ranma's shoulder. Ranma looks up to see Mr. Tendo's other hand motioning to keep quiet with a look that demands obedience. Ranma nods and looks down at Mousse. He is motioning with his beak for the other two fighters to follow. Mousse leads them down the side passage and to a door with a window. Kneeling low, they peer into the room to see a man at a large desk. There appears to be several small monitors on the desk and two men on either side of the door inside the room.   
  
Soun motions Ranma to the side of the door and points at Mousse. Mousse nods his head as Soun reaches out from the side of the door to quickly turn the knob and push the door open. The two men on either side of the door turn around and point their guns at nothing. They look down in confusion to see a white duck with thick glasses walk into the room and stop in between them. The duck lifts open its wings and stares at the man at the desk. Suddenly, several daggers protrude form underneath the wing feathers. The duck flaps once sending him flying backwards out into the hallway and the daggers into the room. The man at the desk screams as two of the daggers embed themselves in his back.   
  
The two men react and one of them runs into the hall after the duck. Soun sticks his arms out to clothesline the man and slam him into the ground. As the second man brings his gun to bear on Soun, Ranma sees something flying from Mousse into the room. Ranma grabs the back of Soun's gi and yanks back with all his current might. Soun flies out of the doorway as a Happo Fire Burst bomb enters the room. A second later, a loud explosion sends the second guard flying out of the room. Soun, Ranma, and Mousse dash into the room to take care of anyone else under the cover of the explosion. They don't see anyone else in there.  
  
Soun walks up to the man who got hit with the daggers. He fell to the ground when the daggers hit, protecting him from the blast and keeping him conscious. Soun grabs the man by the throat and lifts him of the ground to face Soun. "Where is he? Where? Tell me!"  
  
Ranma grabs Soun's shoulder, "Mr. Tendo stop! You'll kill him! You're not a murderer!" Soun looks at Ranma and releases the man to the ground.  
  
"But I am a murderer." Ranma starts to turn towards the voice when he hears the gunshot. Ranma, feeling nothing, turns to look at Soun. There is blood dripping to the ground. {Mr. Tendo!! Wait, the blood is coming from mid-air in front of him. That means...} "NOOOOO!!!" Ranma screams, as Genma fades back in from using the umisen-ken. He moves his hand over his chest and then collapses to the floor. Ranma leaps to his father's side.  
  
They look across the room to see a man step from behind a pile of boxes. He is wearing a loose fitting pair of blue jeans and a white t-shirt. A scar runs down the left side of his face. He is smiling and pointing a gun at the martial artists. "Tendo, you were always so stupid. Look at what you've got left to fight me: a dying old man, an injured boy, and a duck. I like the duck. Maybe I'll keep it when this is all over."  
  
"For hurting my family, I will kill you."  
  
"Harsh words there, Tendo. I've spent the last ten years waiting for this moment, so I'm going to make sure you suffer as much as possible." The man takes a few steps towards Soun and stops. "Oh yes, one more thing before I kill you. As I said before, you are stupid. Leaving your three daughters at home alone. What a bad father you are. I wonder how many men they can take before they die. I'm sure the men will enjoy it."  
  
Soun starts to glow a dark red battle aura. "Damn you! If you hurt my daughters, I'll..."  
  
"Shut up! There's nothing you can do! They may be able to defeat 4 of my men at a time, but let's see how they do against 10 to 1 odds. Hell, I even sent a couple extra for the cute little pet piglet." The man smiles the same smile he had when he shot Genma. "Now, where were we?" The man levels the gun at Soun and prepares to fire.  
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Author's Notes: [UPDATED 08/23/02] 2nd draft. See, I told you I'd have another chapter out before someone killed me. Man, what is it with my sudden urge to end chapters at cliffhangers? Anyway, please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (ntwinkie@effectnet.com) 


	7. Chapter 7

Broken Hearts, Mended Souls  
By  
Nuclear Twinkie  
  
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Disclaimer: In all seriousness, all rights to Ranma1/2 and its characters go to Rumiko Takahashi. In all silliness... Hey Mr. Tendo! Mr. Saotome! Come help me with the disclaimer. "I think we can help you with that, right, Genma?" "Sure thing Tendo!" "Let's see, the rights to all this go to Rumiko Takahashi. If you claim otherwise, the lawyers will get you. The path of a true fanfic writer is fraught with peril." "Tendo, you forgot the other part." What other part? "Oh yes, all fanfics writers are obligated to have Akane and Ranma marry and inherit the Tendo dojo" "That's right, Tendo!" Hey! Stop adding stuff to my disclaimer! Oh man, I got to get some decent help with these disclaimers someday.  
  
{} = Character Thoughts  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Why violent girl kiss my airen?" Ranma's three fiancées (Akane, Ukyo, and Shampoo) are standing the living room of the Tendo household. They just watched Ranma walk out of the house with Genma, Soun and Mousse. Shampoo and Ukyo have turned to face Akane.  
  
Ukyo is standing with her hands on her hips. "Yeah Akane, that was a dirty trick." {I wish I had thought of it.}  
  
"Well... I just... I mean... why do I have to explain myself to you two? You're probably just upset that you didn't do it first!"  
  
Shampoo pulls out her bon-bori and assumes a combat stance. "Violent girl go too far. As great-grandmother always says, obstacle is for killing."  
  
Akane also assumes a fighting stance and attempts to stare down Shampoo. "Too bad this obstacle fights back."  
  
Ukyo attempts to step in between the two angry girls. "Hey, we're supposed to be protecting the dojo, not fighting each other."  
  
"Get out of way, stupid spatula girl. I defeat you after violent girl." "Don't butt into somebody else's fight Ukyo. I can take Shampoo any day!"  
  
Ukyo pulls out her battle spatula and prepares to join the battle. "If you two think I'm going to let you talk to me like that, you have another thing coming."  
  
Ryoga has been watching the situation deteriorate rapidly. {What do I do? I can't stand them threatening Akane like this, but I can't fight them. We're supposed to protect the dojo. If Ranma would be a man and take responsibility for his actions, this would not be happening. I'll have to beat Ranma for this one. I've got to do something.} Ryoga steps forward and raises his hands in a peaceful, warding gesture. "Now girls, we're supposed to be guarding the dojo. Let's stop fighting and get into the dojo like Mr. Tendo said."  
  
"Stupid lost boy go away!" Shampoo swings at Ryoga who easily dodges the swing. Shampoo's bon-bori does hit and smash the kotatsu. Ryoga turns around to survey the damage and suddenly freezes in shock. The glass of ice water that was left on the table is flying through the air right at Ryoga. {Oh no! I'm doomed! Akane will see me...} The glass of water hits Ryoga right in the chest. His Jusenkyo transformation activates and he shrinks from view. The girls turn to stare at Ryoga vanishing form. Shampoo and Ukyo smirk slightly and return to the upcoming fight. Akane is staring at the small form squirming underneath Ryoga's clothes, and watches as the head of a small black pig emerges.  
  
Akane is staring at her P-chan in near shock. "Ryoga... P-chan is... Ryoga is... P-chan... Ryoga..." The other two girls stop their fighting and turn to look at Akane who is now starting to glow a bright red color. "Ryoga... YOU PERVERT!!!" Akane kneels to deliver a devastating punch to P-chan, who barely dodges out of the way. The floor now has a large hole in it. Akane reaches over her back and comes down with an overhead swing of her largest mallet. "DIE RYOGA!!!" Her mallet comes down and connects with nothing but floor. Akane looks up in anger to see P-chan being held in one of Shampoo's hands. "What are you doing? He's mine!"  
  
"As much as Shampoo hate to admit, we need lost boy to help defend home. You kill later."  
  
"Yeah Akane, save it for the guys who might attack us.  
  
Akane stands up, with the mallet still in hand. She is staring directly at P-chan, who seems to be shivering in fear. {I can't believe these two are defending that lying, betraying, perverted jerk! Look at him sitting in Shampoo's hand like that. He's probably enjoying himself. He looks so... scared. Of me? I was going to... First there was the news about Mom, and then Ranma going to hunt the guy, and now this. I can't take it. I just...} The hostility vanishes from both Shampoo and Ukyo as tears appear in Akane's eyes. {NO! I have to defend the dojo. I cannot cry now. I will deal with him later.} Akane blinks the tears out of her eyes and appears to tense up slightly, yet continues to direct her attention at Ryoga. She begins to speak in an un-emotional, monotone voice. "I don't know if I'll ever forgive you. You have betrayed my trust and my friendship. I would rather lose the dojo than depend on you to defend it." She turns her attention up to Shampoo and Ukyo. "I'll get some food and stuff from the kitchen and meet you in the dojo." Akane turns and walks into the kitchen.  
  
Both girls turn and look at each other with a look of concern on their faces. "Shampoo take lost pig-boy to dojo. You go help Akane. Shampoo think she not alright."  
  
"Sure, give me the easy job."  
  
Shampoo smiles slightly and leaves the room. Ukyo sheathes her battle spatula and starts walking to the kitchen. {I don't know what to say to her. I hope I can find some connection to her as a friend, even for the moment.} Ukyo stops at the entrance to the kitchen. Akane is putting some instant ramen and some canned drinks into a bag on the counter. {She's moving with so little emotion. Akane may be violent and prone to lose her temper, but she almost always shows emotion. This is scary.} "Uh, Akane? Can I help you with anything?"  
  
Akane replies, "No thank you." in the same monotone voice as she shuts the refrigerator door and carries some more things over to the bag. Ukyo walks into the kitchen and closer to Akane. {She's really hurt. I have to try to do something.} "Akane, you'll never be able to defend the dojo like this. You have to put this behind you, at least for now."  
  
Akane slams a can down onto the counter. "How would you know how I feel? Do you have any idea how much his betrayal hurt?"  
  
"You mean when your best friend steals your okonomiyaki cart and leaves you in the dust? When someone who you trust to be with you for the rest of your life betrays that trust? I spent ten years carrying around that pain. I realize now, after all that time, how useless that was." Ukyo walks up and puts a hand on Akane's shoulder. "You have to realize that pain will hurt only until you let it go."  
  
Akane turns to face Ukyo with tears streaming down her face. "But why? Why did he do it? He slept with me. He saw me naked. He listened to my innermost secrets. Why would he do such a thing? He was my friend. Why? Wh... why?" Akane breaks down and starts crying.  
  
Ukyo moves up to hug Akane, who hugs Ukyo back and continues to cry. {Why is she hurt so much? I didn't think Ryoga was that good of a friend? She always hangs around with Sayuri and Yuka at school, unless it's something else. I guess she has been through a lot. Akane tends to go to extremes when it comes to this emotional stuff.} "Akane, I know you've been through a lot, but you have to be strong for just one more night. If you want, I'll even help you beat on Ryoga for a while. It'll make you feel better. OK?"  
  
Akane's crying has died down to sniffling. She pulls herself away from Ukyo. "Thanks, Ukyo. I guess with everything that's happened..."  
  
"Don't worry about it. For tonight, we'll be friends instead of rival fiancées."  
  
"Sure, but don't forget you promised to help me beat on Ryoga."  
  
"Are you sure you want to still hurt him?"  
  
"I suppose I don't really want to now, but we don't have to let him know that, do we?"  
  
"No, we don't. C'mon Akane let's get the stuff and..." They both hear a loud crash from the front of the house. They turn to look in that direction when the backdoor flies off its hinges and into the kitchen. Men dressed in dark clothing come pouring into the room to attack Akane and Ukyo.  
  
"C'mon Akane! Let's go out back and then around to Shampoo!" Ukyo backs up into the living room and looks to see more men coming from the front of the house. Ukyo pulls out her battle spatula and swings at the first man. She connects solidly and sends him flying into the others behind him. "C'mon Akane!!"   
  
Akane is fighting several men in the kitchen with the same ferocity she fought the hordes of boys at school with. She hears Ukyo yell and decides to head out of the kitchen. A man comes at her and swings a fist at her head. She grabs the offending limb and throws the man over her shoulder into the others. Akane sprints through the living room, over the porch, and joins Ukyo in the backyard. There are several men charging Ukyo. Akane jump kicks her way in to the group of men, hitting two of them and landing next to Ukyo. Akane shouts, "There's at least this many in the house! How many did they send, and where's Shampoo?"  
  
Suddenly two of the men in front of Akane crumple underneath a pair of bon-bori as Shampoo land next to the other two girls. "Shampoo right here, violent girl. Worry about self, not Shampoo."  
  
The men start to circle around the girls, attempting to surround them. Ukyo shouts, "Get to the corner of yard! We can use the wall to guard our backs!" Akane, Ukyo, and Shampoo jump over the men into the corner of the yard. The men immediately surround them and press their advantage.   
  
Akane ducks under a punch and punches back. "There's so many of them! How many of them are there?"  
  
"Bwee!?!?" {Damn it! Where is the bathroom? I have to change and go help Akane! After what she said to me, I have to do whatever I can to prove myself to her! DAMN IT! Where is...} P-chan looks down to notice he is standing on bathroom tile. Looking around, he sees the bathtub. {YES!!!} He jumps in only to come out naked, but determined. {Boy, I'm lucky I always have a spare set of clothing here in the changing room or I'd really be in trouble.} Ryoga quickly dresses and stands just outside the bathroom. {Great, now which way do I go?} Ryoga hears the sounds of battle. {I may get lost, but I can follow sounds.} Ryoga runs down the hallway and into a dead end. Literally.   
  
The outside of the house explodes as Ryoga finds himself in the backyard. He sees over two dozen of those black clothed attackers around a corner of the yard attacking the three girls. "AKANE!!!" Akane's line of sight quickly turns to Ryoga, but that one moment is enough. One of the men powerfully swings his fist and connects with Akane's jaw. Time seems to slow for Ryoga. Akane's head swings back and forth as a line of blood flies from her mouth. Akane's entire body goes limp as she falls from the ground like a marionette that just had it strings cut. "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!" {Akane! She got hit because of me! She hates me! She doesn't even want to be my friend! IT"S ALL MY FAULT!}   
  
Everyone present stops and stares at the ominous black glow surrounding Ryoga. Shampoo and Ukyo quickly recognize this. Shampoo grabs Akane and jumps over the wall. Ukyo quickly follows her.  
Ryoga looks up with tears in his eyes and screams, "Ultimate Shi-Shi- Hokodan!!"  
  
The glow from Ryoga shoots into the air in a column of black light. It then condenses into a ball covering the entire backyard. A moment later, the energy slams into the ground taking out every one of the men in the area. They are now piled into a crater 10 feet deep and nearly 30 feet wide. Ryoga looks at them with tears in his eyes and hopelessness in his eyes. {I have nothing, but the knowledge that Akane, the woman I love, the woman that now hates me, is safe.} Ryoga turns and walks away, hoping to get lost forever.  
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Author's Notes: [UPDATED 08/23/02] 2nd draft. Sorry I didn't get back to Ranma and his group, but Akane and the girls are safe. That's good, isn't it? Yeah, yeah, I know. Write faster. Anyway, please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (ntwinkie@effectnet.com) 


	8. Chapter 8

Broken Hearts, Mended Souls  
By  
Nuclear Twinkie  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Disclaimer: In all seriousness, all rights to Ranma1/2 and its characters go to Rumiko Takahashi. In all silliness... Ukyo, could you help me with the disclaimer? "Sure thing. Let's see, all the characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. If you try and claim otherwise, you'll never be allowed to eat my okonomiyaki." Ukyo, I've never had okonomiyaki, not even yours. "What? Never? We'll fix that" --cooking sounds-- Ukyo, what about the disclaimer? "Aren't we done with that?" Yeah I guess. Now only if this wasn't a fanfic, I could eat some okonomiyaki for real. --Sigh-- I have to remember not to write these disclaimers while I'm hungry.  
  
{} = Character Thoughts  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The man is wearing a loose fitting pair of blue jeans and a white t-shirt. A scar runs down the left side of his face. He smiles and levels the gun at Soun. "Now, where were we?"  
  
"Right here. Möko Takabisha!" Ranma is standing as he delivers a powerful ki blast directly at the man. The blast comes as a surprise and hits him dead on. He flies backwards and slams into the wall behind him. Ranma suddenly grips his leg in pain and drops back into a kneeling position. {Man, I never noticed there was a kickback on that. Damn, that hurts. I gotta make sure Pops is all right.} "Pops, are you conscious? C'mon Pops. Now is not the time for sleeping."  
  
Ranma flips his father over so he is lying on his back. Ranma recoils in shock at the large quantity of blood present on the floor and on his father's gi. A bullet hole is visible on the left side of Genma's chest. {Oh no. Pops has to be all right. He just has to be.} Working as fast as he can, Ranma rips open Genma's gi to expose the wound. He then takes his own shirt off and presses it against the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. {He's still breathing, which means he'll be OK. I just know it.} Soun kneels down on the other side of Genma. "Ranma, he's lost a lot of blood already. We have to get him out of here."  
  
"QUACK!" Ranma and Soun both look at Mousse who is pointing towards the wall where the murderer flew. As they turn to look, Ranma's head snaps backwards as the man delivers a painful jump kick to Ranma's skull. Ranma loses consciousness and falls over to lie on top of Genma.  
  
"We can't let you stay around and throw more of those ki blasts around, now can we?" The man looks over at Soun. "OK, old man, it's just you and me now. Care to see what 10 years of revenge training can do?"  
  
Soun stands up and steps over Ranma and Genma to face his opponent. "Mousse, you will stay out of this fight. As for you, you will not hurt those I care about anymore. I am going to do what I should have done ten years ago."  
  
The man chuckles at Soun's sudden challenge. "And what is that old man?"  
  
"I am going to kill you." Soun immediately charges his opponent and strikes at the other man's abdomen. He blocks and attempts a counterpunch at Soun's head. Soun drops down and delivers a sweeping kick to trip the man. He jumps over Soun and lands behind him, immediately kicking out at the kneeling Soun. Soun rolls to the side and comes up in a battle stance.  
  
"You have improved, student. Unfortunately, it is not enough."  
  
"Really, from what I've heard you're not one to talk. You've become a shell of a man who spends his days crying over every little thing while continuously mourning the death of his wife. I have to admit, the sex with her was great."  
  
"You damned bastard!" Soun charges the man in a blind rage. He twists to the side executes a throw that sends Soun into the same wall he flew into earlier.  
  
The man smirks as Soun hits the wall and starts to get back up. "Now that makes us even. Care to get up and try again?"  
  
Soun gets up faces his opponent. {I cannot lose control again. I will not lose this fight. I will avenge my wife. I will protect my daughters.} Soun's face changes to one of controlled fury. He slowly approaches his enemy while in a fighting stance.  
  
"I was beginning to think you wouldn't get up. At least defeating you will be entertaining." Both men are now circling each other. Soun's enemy dashes forward to hit with a series of short jabs. Soun blocks all of them and returns a vicious punch to the jaw. His opponent attempts to roll with the punch but takes the majority of the blow. Soun presses his advantage and brings up his knee into the man's face. He manages to block this and jumps backwards away from Soun.  
  
"Not bad, old man. Let's see you block this. Houbou Fuiuchi!" He attempts a powerful jab that Soun blocks, yet Soun feels the impact of three other similar blows on his right side, left side, and his back. Soun grunts in pain and steps backwards to avoid further injury. {How did do that? He punched once, but I got hit four times.}  
  
"You like that old man? I call it my 'All Sides Sneak Attack'. I'm sure right now you're trying to figure out how it works. I'll give you a clue. It uses ki, something you've never seemed to possess. I told you I've been training 10 years for this, and now I'm going to get my revenge for every minute I spent in that hell you call prison. Houbou Fuiuchi!" Soun again blocks the punch, only to feel the hits in three other places on his person. He grunts and falls to one knee.  
  
The man grabs Soun's hair and lifts Soun's face up to scream, "I lost ten years of my life because of you! I am going to pay that pain back on you a hundred times over! You'll be begging me to kill you when I actually do!"  
  
{He's going to beat me. He's right. I spent all this time mourning my wife instead of training. I have failed everyone. They will all die because I'm too weak. I'm not strong enough. I'm not.} Soun unexpectedly recalls the voices of people in his life. "Daddy..." "I'm hugging my father, Akane." "Father, no matter what happens or what you say, we will love you and always be here for you. Have faith in that." "My life-long friend Soun Tendo needs my help, and I am going to do what I think is best." "There are certain things you have to do, and realizing what you are responsible for is one of them. As martial artists, we're required to atone for our mistakes..."  
  
"NEVER!!!" Soun grabs the man's wrist, pivots, and flings him across the room. The man twists to rebound off the wall and shouts, "Houbou Fuiuchi!" Soun dodges the punch instead of blocking it and expects to be hit again, only to feel nothing. {What? Why didn't it connect? He has to make physical contact, but why? KI! He's using his ki to connect with projected blows, but it's traveling around my ki to the other sides of my body. It's similar to the way magnetic fields travel around power lines. Now he dies!}  
  
Soun charges the man who yet again attempts the maneuver. Soun ducks underneath the attack and brings his foot up into the man's stomach. As he bends over from the impact, Soun delivers a deadly blow. He closes his knuckles but not over his palm, and delivers an uppercut to the man's larynx. Suddenly unable to breathe, he starts stepping backwards and clutching his throat.   
  
"Now it ends," Soun calmly says as he kicks straight out and sends the man backwards through the air. There is a sickening crunch as one of the legs of an upturned chair punctures his back and exits his chest upon landing. Soun walks over to the man and stares into his eyes. "Now suffer and die like my wife did. Die, and go to hell." Soun turns around and walks over to Ranma and Genma. He stops and kneels down to pull Ranma off of Genma. Soun shakes Ranma and says, "Ranma, wake up son. It's all over." Ranma slowly regains consciousness and moves to his father's side.  
  
"Wake up, Pops. C'mon wake up!" Ranma starts shaking Genma in an effort to wake him. "Wake up, Pops! Please wake up!" As Soun sets a hand on Ranma's shoulder to calm him, Genma stirs and moans in pain. He suddenly coughs up a large quantity of blood. Ranma pulls Genma on to his side so he doesn't choke on all the blood. "You're gonna be okay, Pops. Hang in there, and we'll get you to a hospital."  
  
"R-Ranma. Promise me... you'll marry Akane." Genma goes into another it of coughing.  
  
"Gee, Pops. Don't worry about that now. Just quit talking and save your strength." Soun can see tears start to form in Ranma's eyes.  
  
"P-please boy. It's the... last thing I can do for you. You care... for each other. Promise. Please..." Genma continues to cough, the pain evident on his face.  
  
"All right, I promise." Ranma continues to fight away the tears as his grip on his father tightens.  
  
"Thank you, my son. I was... always proud..." Genma's entire body suddenly shudders in pain. His eyes close and his body goes limp.  
  
"Pops? POPS?? NOOOOOOO!!!!!!"  
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Author's Notes: [UPDATED 08/24/02] 1st draft. Man, I'm going to kill myself for these cliffhangers so no readers have to. This chapter is a little shorter than the usual, but the next chapter is the conclusion to the first story arc in this series. I'll have it up as soon as I can. Anyway, please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (ntwinkie@effectnet.com) 


	9. Chapter 9

Broken Hearts, Mended Souls  
By  
Nuclear Twinkie  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Disclaimer: In all seriousness, all rights to Ranma1/2 and its characters go to Rumiko Takahashi. In all silliness... This is worse than asking Mikado. Hey, Mr. Kuno! Could you help with the disclaimer? "Aloha mister fanfic writer! I would be most happy to help all the keiki learn the disclaimer. Listen up keiki! Anyone who says these charcters are belonging to them and not Miss Takahashi is a very bad keiki, and needs a buzz cut or bowl cut!" Yeah, right. Thanks Mr Kuno. "No problem. Hey, what's up wit' 'dat hair? You be needing a buzz cut!" What? Get away from me! HELP!!  
  
{} = Character Thoughts  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Mousse, I don't know what to say man. If you hadn't run off and called the police, Pops wouldn't have made it. Thanks, I owe you one."  
  
Ranma is sitting in the waiting room of a hospital in Nerima. He is in a wheelchair with a large bandage around his right leg and another small one on his left arm. There are many people in the room. Shampoo and Ukyo are on one side of the room sitting on a bench. On another side of the room Akane and Kasumi are sitting on either side of their father, who has an unemotional, lifeless look on his face. Kasumi has a worried look on her face, while Akane is fighting back tears and has a small bandage on her lower jaw. Next to Kasumi is Nodoka. She is holding a long, cloth bundled object. She appears calm and in control, although a struggle to remain so is apparent. Next to her is Ranma addressing Mousse, who is standing in front of him.  
  
"There is no need for thanks, Saotome. I am sure you would have done the same for me."  
  
"Yeah, well if you ever need a favor Mousse, just let me know. By the way, how did you manage to call them anyway? Weren't you still a duck at the time?"  
  
Mousse chuckles. "I lucked out there. It turns out the person who answered knew Morse code."  
  
"Morse code? You know that?"  
  
"Enough to say S.O.S. I think I got from a movie I saw once. Anyway, they were able to understand that and trace the call."  
  
All conversation stopped as a doctor walked into the room. "Mrs. Saotome? Mrs. Saotome?"  
  
Nodaka stood up and walked over to the doctor. Ranma also wheeled himself over. "Hey doc, is my pops going to be OK?"  
  
The doctor looked down to Ranma. "Yes son, your father is going to be fine. In fact, he is awake although very weak."  
  
"Can I talk to him? It's kind of important."  
  
Nodoka puts a hand on Ranma's shoulder. "Now Ranma, your father needs his rest right now. You can talk to him later."  
  
Ranma turns to look at his mother. "I know he needs his rest, but I need to ask him something. It is important, and won't take very long."  
  
Nodoka looks at her son momentarily, and then nods her head saying, "Very well, as long as it is all right with the doctor."  
  
"It is OK, just remember not to excite him. He lost a lot of blood and will need several days to recover. Please follow me." The doctor leads Ranma down the hallway into a hospital room. Genma is lying on a bed being attended to by a nurse. Ranma momentarily stops when he sees his father. {There are so many wires and tubes going into him, and his skin is so pale. I have never seen Pops look so weak. I know Pops is stronger than this, although I'll never tell him that. I have got to ask him about that promise.}  
  
Ranma wheels himself to the side of the bed. He looks up to the nurse. "Can I talk to my Pop for a minute?" The nurse looks at the doctor who nods, and then walks out of the room with the doctor.  
  
"Pops? Hey Pops, are you awake?"  
  
Genma turns his head to face Ranma and begins to speak quietly. "Yes Ranma, I am awake. Are you all right?"  
  
"I'll be fine. The only reason I'm even in this stupid wheelchair is because the doctor said I had to. How are you doing?"  
  
"I'll be fine. Something as small as a bullet won't put me down. Ranma, about that promise..."  
  
Ranma sighs. "Yeah, I know. Look, this isn't easy for me to say, but I did promise I would do it. I'm not sure how I'm going to do it yet, but I wanted to ask you to not push us so hard. I know you think we belong together Pops, but we don't even know if we belong together. Just give us some time, would you?"   
  
"I'll give you the time you need, Ranma. You may not always have been the most polite son in the world or shown me the proper respect, but you always seem to keep your promises. I'll lay off you two, and I'll try to keep Soun from bothering you as well."  
  
Ranma looks a little stunned, but then stands up out of the wheelchair and starts to walk toward the door. He turns around to look at his father. "Thanks, Pops. Just get better soon. Mornings are going to be boring without having you around to beat up." Ranma realizes Genma has already fallen asleep. {Get better, Pops.} Ranma walks out of room and back towards the waiting room. {I need some time to think. I've go to get out of here.}  
  
Ranma walks into the waiting and towards the elevator. Nodoka turns towards Ranma with a look of concern. "Ranma, is everything all right?"  
  
He looks back long enough to say, "Yes Mom, everything is fine. Pops is asleep." Ranma walks over to the elevator just as it opens. Nabiki steps out just as Ranma is walking in. "Excuse me." Ranma walks into the elevator. He pushes a button and looks at everyone just as the doors close. They are all looking to him with concern and worry apparent on their faces. "Don't worry about me, I'll be OK."  
  
After the doors close, Nabiki looks at everyone. "What just happened?"  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Soun leaves the hospital and spends the better part of the day walking around Nerima in an attempt to gather his thoughts. Towards the end of the day, Soun finds himself someplace that will be etched into his memory forever. He is once again in front of the tombstone of his dead wife.   
  
Soun's crying lessens to a small whimper and wet cheeks. His eyes have become puffy and red from crying so hard. Looking right at the tombstone, he starts speaking sotto voce. "My dear loving wife. How I miss you. Not a day goes by that I do not forget you are gone. My love for you has always been strong, and will always be so. I m-miss y-y-ou so, s-so..." Soun breaks into another fit of crying and wailing. {I must be strong, for her above anyone else. I must be strong.}  
  
Soun's crying subsides as he continues to talk to his wife. "Our daughters are almost all grown up. Kasumi has turned into a fine young woman and is sure to catch a man any day now. Maybe even that nice Doctor Tofu. Nabiki has such strong business sense. She is sure to be very successful in her life. Akane has become a good martial and will make an excellent heir to the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial  
Arts, if the marriage ever happens."  
  
Soun becomes even sadder, if that is possible, and the sound of desperation creeps into his voice. "Dear, I hope this idea of Saotome's works. Just leave them alone, simply because Ranma promised? Will that work? I wish I knew. I ceratinly hope it does."  
  
Soun clears his throat, and stares determinedly at the gravestone. "Finally, they are safe. The children are finally free from that man, but not from the pain he unleashed on them. I-If only I had been strong enough to save you, then this... then he wouldn't have..." Soun starts to quietly cry. Not the wailing and bawling he usually does, but a soft, hushed crying in remembrance of the things that could have been. After a minute or two, he feels a hand placed on his shoulder.  
  
"Dad..." says a quiet voice filled with love and some of that same pain. Soun looks up to see Akane staring down at him with tear filled eyes.  
  
"Akane, I miss her so much. I see so much of her in you and your sisters. If only..." Soun can no longer cry. The pain is there, but there are no more tears. Akane kneels down next to her father to hugs him in loving condolence.  
  
"I miss her too, Dad. I miss her so much."  
  
Soun clears his throat and attempts to gain control as their hug ends. "What are you doing all the way out here Akane?"  
  
"It's my turn to put fresh flowers on mother's grave." Akane holds up a small bouquet of colorful flowers. She slowly lays them below the marker and says to her father in the most soothing tone she can muster, "Come on, Dad. Let's go home." Soun slowly nods his head. He stands up, and without saying anything, puts an arm around his daughter as they start to walk home.  
  
As they walk away, Akane looks over her shoulder at her mother's tombstone. {I miss you, mother.}  
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Author's Notes: [UPDATED 12/01/02] End of the first story arc. Sorry it took me so long, I just suddenly was no longer inspired to write. I'll blame it on writer's block. Anyway, please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (ntwinkie@effectnet.com) 


	10. Chapter 10

Broken Hearts, Mended Souls  
By  
Nuclear Twinkie  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Disclaimer: In all seriousness, all rights to Ranma½ and its characters go to Rumiko Takahashi. In all silliness… Nabiki, could you please help with the disclaimer? "My payment?" I already gave it to you. I even got a receipt. See? "Oh, you're smarter than most. All right then, here." Nabiki, what is this? "The disclaimer." No way! This has go to be at least a hundred pages, and what's this part about the offending fanfic writer becoming your slave? "Oh that's nothing you need to worry about. Trust me on this one." Trust you? Riiiight. Shiver in fear  
  
{} = Character Thoughts  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The sun is slowly setting across the Nerima skyline. The view from the roof of the Tendo home can be quite breathtaking at times. Below, Akane and her father are just arriving home. Shadows are darkening as the sun leaves the sky in a star-specked darkness. On the roof, Ranma Saotome is pondering what to do next.  
  
{OK. First, I have to get Akane to understand I l-lo… why is that so hard to even think. I do, don't I? She's cute when she's nice, and she's really cute when she smiles. Yeah, I think I do. I l-lo-love Akane, but will I ever be able to tell her? Wait, I'm Ranma Saotome. There's nothing I can't do. Well, maybe not stuff about c-c-cats, but that's different. I wasn't thrown into a pit of crazed, starved, Akanes as a child. Wow, that's scary to even think about.}  
  
Ranma shivers slightly in fear. {Anyway, I then have to get Ukyo, Shampoo, and the Kunos not to kill me once I tell her. Since the second part sounds easier, I'll start with that one.}  
  
Ranma lays back and puts his hands behind his head so he can stare up at the sky. {Ukyo is my friend, and so is Shampoo most of the time. I don't want to hurt them, but if they find out I want Akane to be my fiancée…} Ranma blinks in surprise. {Woah, I want Akane to be my fiancée. I thought that more easily than I believed I could.} Ranma sighs and stares at the sky for a couple more minutes.  
  
{All right, back to coming up with how to solve this. I'm a martial artist, not a bookworm or mega-genius. I guess I'll have to think like a martial artist then. With this many people to worry about, divide and conquer. Try to think of only one at a time. OK, Shampoo. She thinks her stupid law gives her the right to marry me. I can't make her not think that, so then what? The only way I know to get her off my back would be if someone beat both Shampoo and myself. OK, I can see someone beating Shampoo, but me? That's not going to work.   
  
How do I get around these stupid Amazon laws? I have to think like a martial artist. Learn of your opponent's strengths and weaknesses, like getting Akane and Ryoga mad. They both get really sloppy when the get angry. So how do I learn about Amazon laws? Cologne certainly won't help, and neither will Shampoo. Would Mousse? Hmm, would Mousse help me nullify my engagement with with Shampoo? It can't hurt to ask.}  
  
Ranma stands up and walks to the top of the roof and starts a light and simple kata to help him concentrate. {OK, Ukyo. Pops made that stupid promise. It would be honorable if both sides agreed to nullify the engagement. That would work if she thinks she is supposed to marry me, but I think it's more than that. She always goes around proclaiming herself as my cute fiancee. Does that mean she wants to marry me, or only that she is supposed to marry me? Does Ukyo think of me as more than a friend? It can't be, but how can I find out for sure? I'll ask Konatsu, he lives at Ucchan's and works for her! He should know. What if she does like me? If she does, and I tell her about Akane…}  
  
Ranma stops and looks up to the sky. {What am I going to do? There's so much I don't know, and I can't fight my way out of this one. Why is it that for me to be happy, others have to be sad? I don't want to hurt anybody else.} Ranma sits down again.  
  
{How do I get break the engagements and keep everyone from being hurt? If only I could get them to break up with me, then nobody would be hurt and everybody would be happy. That will never happen, it's way too convenient. So what happens if this does make anyone sad? How do I help people not be hurt because of me?}  
  
"Ranma?"  
  
Ranma jumps up and turns to see has climbed on to the roof and sat down next to him. "ARGH!!! Akane, don't scare me like that!" Recovering form the shock of Akane's sudden appearance, Ranma sits down again.  
  
Akane concernedly looked at Ranma. "Sorry Ranma, but you missed dinner and I was just wondering if you were OK up here."  
  
"Sure Akane, I'm fine."  
  
Akane starts to get angry. "Ranma you are not fine! You've been up here all night and didn't even come down for dinner! Now what's wrong?"  
  
Ranma turns to face Akane. "You want to know what's wrong. Fine, I'll tell you, but you have to answer a question for me first."  
  
"What question would that be?"  
  
Ranma looks down at the rooftop for a moment before looking back at Akane. "Akane, this question I want to ask you, if you don't want to answer it, it's OK."  
  
Akane now looks very confused, and still concerned. "What did you want to ask?"  
  
"Have you ever been really sad?"  
  
Akane's jaw dropped in shock, but she quickly recovered. "I suppose, when my mother died I was very sad. Ranma, why are you asking this?"  
  
"I can't tell you right now, but I will later. Akane, when your mother died, how did you… not stay sad forever? What helped you through it?"  
  
Akane is getting annoyed again at Ranma's lack of response to her questions. "Ranma, what is wrong? Why are you asking me this? What are you wanting to know?"  
  
"I told you I'd tell you later. If you don't want to answer the question, I'll just leave."  
  
Ranma begins to stand up when he feels Akane's hand on his arm. Akane is looking up at him. "I'll answer the question Ranma, as long as you PROMISE me you will tell me why you are asking this."  
  
Ranma sits back down and looks directly at Akane. "I promise."  
  
Akane looks up at the sky, contemplating an answer. "I guess, my dad and sisters helped me through it most, especially Kasumi. Nabiki started going into ice queen mode to help make money, and to hide her emotions. Dad was even worse than me, and I don't think he ever really got over Mother. As for Kasumi, she was always there when I cried. She would stay with me while I cried myself to sleep. Kasumi is the best big sister I could ever have."  
  
Akane goes silent as both youths just continued to look at the sky. Ranma glances out of the corner of his eye over to Akane and sees her wiping a tear from her face. {I guess she is still sad, but having somebody to help you through it I think is what counts. Who do I get to help Shampoo and Ukyo through it? They really don't have anybody to help them through this. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm going to need help.} Ranma stands up and looks down to Akane. "Thanks." He then jumps off the roof and goes inside.  
  
Akane soon follows Ranma inside. {Why did he say those things? What is wrong? I'm so worried, so confused, and so… he never told me why he asked me that question. That jerk!} Tears start to stream down Akane's face, as she walks upstairs. {That stupid Ranma made talk about mother, and now I…} Akane stops at the door to her bedroom and looks down the hall. She walks down the hall and knocks on Kasumi's bedroom door. When Kasumi opens it, Akane says "Sis, will you stay with me until I'm done crying?" Kasumi, without saying a word, puts an arm around Akane and walks back to her bedroom. Kasumi stays with Akane until she cries herself to sleep for reasons Kasumi can only guess.  
  
The next day, life in Nerima was fairly quiet. All the usual suspects were incredibly busy that day. It was a good business day for both the Neko Hanten and Ucchan's. There were Kendo and Gymnastics tournaments taking place, and all three Tendo daughters were on a day of shopping to cheer up Akane. Nerima was unusually quiet. It couldn't last forever.  
  
"Saotome, how dare you take Shampoo from me and then issue a challenge of combat! Prepare for retribution!"  
  
Mousse flicks his wrists as long blades appear from each one. He charges his rival and swings both high and low. His opponent jumps back and pulls a small bladed weapon from his kimono.   
  
"Mousse, please wait! I'm not Ranma!" Mousse slices upwards first with one hand and then the other. The weapon his opponent is holding blocks both strikes.  
  
"You coward! Resorting to using weapons now! I have you!" Mousse feints forward and then drops, attempting to kick the legs out from under his opponent, who jumps up and throws a shuriken just above Mousse's head. This knocks Mousse's glasses off the top of his head and into place in front of his eyes.  
  
"Mousse, it's Konatsu! Stop attacking!"  
  
Mousse, still kneeling low from the last attack, looks up at his opponent. "Konatsu? I thought you were Saotome. I was supposed to meet him here for a fight." Mousse stands up and hides his weapons back into his sleeves, as Konatsu also hides his ninja-to. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Konatsu brushes the wrinkles out of the kimono he is wearing. "That is odd. Mr. Saotome asked me to meet him here as well. I wonder why?"  
  
"It's because I need your help." Both Konatsu and Mousse turn to see Ranma jumping out of a nearby tree and walking towards them. {I hope this works. I need help, and I don't know who else to go to.} Ranma stops and holds up his hands as Mousse tenses and enters a fighting stance. "Before you get mad or attack me, just let me explain.  
  
Mousse relaxes his stance slightly and stares intently at Ranma. "You'd better make this good."  
  
Ranma puts his hands down and breathes deeply before speaking. "Look, this isn't something that can be solved by fighting, otherwise I wouldn't be coming to you two for help. The problem is…"  
  
Mousse dashes forward and jabs at Ranma, who sidesteps the attack. "Wouldn't be coming to us? Are you calling me weak? Do you want to die?" Mousse is now standing directly in front of Ranma in a full battle stance ready to fight.   
  
Ranma sighs takes a step back. Underneath his breath, he says, "I knew this wasn't going to work."   
  
Konatsu hurries over and stands between the two. "Mr. Saotome, wait! Mr. Mousse, please stop attacking. I am sure he meant no offense, but simply that he could handle this problem if it was a fight. Since it is clearly not, he needs our assistance in resolving his issue. Let's at least hear him out." Konatsu tenses, waiting for Mousse's response.  
  
Mousse stands straight and crosses his arms. "Very well. Let's hear it."  
  
Ranma stares at the to men before him. Konatsu turns to face Ranma. "Please continue Mr. Saotome."  
  
As he did before, Ranma takes a deep breath and continues. "I need your help with a promise I made to my father. In return, I will help you both in any way I can to get the women you like."  
  
Konatsu stands in stunned amazement as Mousse's jaw nearly hits the ground. After a couple of seconds, Mousse regains the ability to speak. "Wait, let me get this straight. You want our help, and in return you will help me win Shampoo's love? This isn't some trick to steal her, is it?"  
  
Ranma is now clearly annoyed. "Mousse, would you just listen, for once! I do not want Shampoo; I do not want Ukyo; and I certainly don't want Kodachi."  
  
Konatsu clears his throat to interrupt the conversation. "Excuse me, Mr. Saotome. If you do not want any of them, that only leaves…"  
  
"HEY!" Ranma starts to look sheepishly at the ground. "I know w-who that leaves, OK? That's why I need your help."  
  
Mousse stares at Ranma with a rather confused look on his face. Ranma sees this and begins to walk towards Mousse. "Mousse, you helped to save my father's life. In return for that, I am honor bound to help you get Shampoo. Do you want my help?"  
  
Mousse blinks in astonishment, and then gets an evil little smile on his face. "Very well, I accept. I only have one condition for all this."  
  
"And that condition is?"  
  
Mousse folds his arms across his chest and continues to smile. "You must be able to say that you love Akane. You don't have to shout it from the rooftops or anything, just tell us. That way, I know you are serious about all this."  
  
Ranma nearly collapses in surprise. "WHAT! You can't be serious!"  
  
Konatsu takes a step forward. "Mr. Saotome, I believe Mousse has a point. You must be able to say this to us, or you will never be able to say it to her, much less do what is necessary to get her."  
  
"No, this can't be right! You guys got to be kidding! I'm going to help you get Shampoo and Ukyo! Why do I need to do this?"  
  
Mousse extends his arm and points at Ranma. "This is your test! To see how serious you are about this whole thing! Otherwise, we walk away now!" Mousse brings his arm down to his side and looks at Konatsu. "Right, Konatsu?"  
  
"I don't know if I could totally abandon Mr. Saotome when he needs help so badly, but he does need to say it."  
  
Ranma starts to sweat. {They have got to be kidding! I just recently was able to admit it to myself. There's no way I can do this. What am I saying? I'm Ranma Saotome, and I can do anything. Besides, they do have a good point.} He stares at the two men before he says, "Alright, fine, be that way. I'll say it. Well, here goes." Ranma starts to fidget and look down towards the ground. "I… I l-l-l…" Ranma starts to stutter and his whole body starts to shake slightly. "I... I… l-l-lo…" The shaking becomes more pronounced as Ranma fights an internal battle. "I…I l-lo-lo…" Ranma's eyes roll back into his head as he finally says, "I-love-Akane" and falls backwards unconscious.  
  
Mousse chuckles. "I didn't think he would actually be able to say it. I guess that means we're in. At least if this doesn't work out, it will be fun to watch Ranma suffer."  
  
Konatsu turns to Mousse slightly shocked. "Mousse, you shouldn't say such things."  
  
"Are you saying it's not true?"  
  
Konatsu slightly blushes. "No, I'm just saying you shouldn't say things like that." Mousse starts to laugh and Konatsu's blush deepens as he quietly joins in the laughter.  
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Author's Notes: [UPDATED 12/28/02] First chapter in the next story arc completed. What will Ranma, Mousse, and Konatsu do to help the Nerima Wrecking Crew resolve their love traingle, square, pentagon, … whatever. Anyway, please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (ntwinkie@effectnet.com) 


	11. Chapter 11

Broken Hearts, Mended Souls  
By  
Nuclear Twinkie  
  
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Disclaimer: In all seriousness, all rights to Ranma1/2 and its characters go to Rumiko Takahashi. In all silliness... What the hell are you doing here? This isn't a crossover, you know. "Sorry, but the girls were chasing me, and I asked for a place to hide." Yeah, but why did you ask Washu? "It seemed like she would really be able to hide me. She did a good job, right?" Tenchi, how am I supposed to get you back? "We could ask Washu again." No. Look what happened the first time. Just sit down and enjoy my Ranma 1/2 fic until we think of a way to get you back. "Ranma 1/2?" Great. Oh well, it's not like I was trying to write a fic or anything. The story goes like this...  
  
{} = Character Thoughts  
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Ranma slowly walks into the Tendo kitchen through the backdoor. He is covered in the dust of travel and looks like he just went through a large battle. Behind him, the sun has set and stars fill the sky. {Man, we spent more time fighting than planning. I hope half the stuff we came up with works. I hope no one notices that both Mousse and Konatsu just vanished. 'See you in a month or two Saotome.' 'Good luck, Mr. Saotome.' Yeah, right.} Ranma drops his backpack in a corner of the kitchen, walks over to the refrigerator, and opens it up. He starts digging through looking for a quick snack. {How long is it going to take to screw all of this up?} Ranma, holding an armful of various foodstuffs, stands up and kicks the door to the fridge shut. He is now standing face-to-face with Nabiki.  
  
Ranma jumps in surprise. "Argh! What is it with everyone sneaking up on me lately? Usually only the old ghoul can do that."  
  
Nabiki is looking at Ranma with a very devious smirk on her face. "Why, hello Ranma. You spend days on the roof in thought, only to disappear for three days on, what did your little note call it, a training trip? And now both Mousse and Konatsu are missing? What have you been up to?"  
  
Ranma stares at Nabiki for a moment. {Well, that didn't take long.} "Nabiki, I just went on a training trip. It's not my fault Mousse and Konatsu didn't come back before me."  
  
Nabiki's shakes her head back and forth as her smirk now turns into a full smile. "Ranma, Ranma, Ranma. Both Mousse and Konatsu took enough belongings to be gone for months. Konatsu even left a note for Ukyo saying he wouldn't know when he would be back. Your little Ucchan is really mad. However, it's nothing compared to how mad Akane is at you for just vanishing without notice. Now, you wouldn't want her to find you before you even get a chance to eat, now would you?"  
  
Ranma starts to shake in nervously. "C'mon Nabiki. Just let me eat in peace. I've been gone for days. At least let me have one meal before having to face Akane."  
  
"Ranma, I think it would be in your best interests to come clean and tell me what's going on right now. It would save us both a lot of time, and give you a chance to eat before Akane finds you."  
  
Ranma turns and sets the food down on the counter. "Aw, c'mon Nabiki! That's not fair!"  
  
"Life seldom is, Ranma." Nabiki steps up directly in front of Ranma. "Now, where were you?"  
  
Ranma takes a step back trying to think of something, when he hears a peaceful voice. "Ranma, you finally home. Here, let me make you something to eat. Akane won't be back for a while. She's out with some friends."  
  
Ranma glares at Nabiki before turning and smiling, "Thanks Kasumi. That would be great!"  
  
Kasumi starts to straighten up the mess Ranma made. "Although, I would like to know where you've been for the last couple of days. We were really worried about you."  
  
Ranma sits down at the table. "I... I really can't say yet Kasumi."  
  
Nabiki sits down on the other side of the table. "That means it must concern Akane. Are you finally trying to work up to confessing your love for her?"  
  
Ranma screams back in reply, "Who in their right mind would love an un-cute tomboy like that?!"  
  
Kasumi sets a rather large sandwich down in front of Ranma. "Now Ranma, you know how much Akane hates it when you call her those names. She has been very worried about you the last couple of days. Your note didn't even say when you would be coming back."  
  
Ranma grabs his sandwich and starts to eat. As he is eating, with half a mouth full of food, he says, "The note said I would be back. She was worrying about nothing."  
  
Kasumi sits down as well. "None the less, she did worry about you. Please try to be a little nicer to her or the next day or to. She can make such a mess when she's angry."  
  
Ranma continues eating as Nabiki smiles. "Ranma being nice to Akane? I'll have to adjust the odds on bets for the next couple of days."  
  
Kasumi sighs and turns to her sister. "Nabiki, instead of trying to make money off Ranma and Akane, you could try to help get them together. I know you have the resources for it."  
  
Ranma suddenly stops eating and stares at Kasumi in amazement. Nabiki laughs. "C'mon sis, not only do I make huge money off Akane and her fiancé here, but getting them together would be way too easy. All we'd have to do is lock them in a room with nothing but a bed and a bottle of chocolate syrup, and let the problem solve itself."  
  
Kasumi gasps and puts a hand over her mouth. "Nabiki!!"  
  
Ranma tilts his head looks very confused. {Chocolate syrup????} After a few seconds, Ranma spits out his food, stands up, and points his finger at Nabiki. "You're talking about... Akane and me... chocolate syrup... There is no way I would ever do something like that with such un-cute, un-sexy, built-like-a-brick tomboy like Akane!!"  
  
Ranma hears the last voice he could possibly want to hear. It a voice filled with much anger, promising that pain is quickly on its way. "What was that? Un-cute? Tomboy? Chocolate syrup?! YOU, YOU PERVERT!!!" Akane pulls out her infamous mallet, and clobbers Ranma with every ounce of her strength. Ranma is crushed through the floorboards and into the ground. "I worry about you all this time and the first thing you do is make fun of me? I can't stand it anymore!"  
  
Ranma pulls himself out of the ground in order to defend himself and sees tears steaming down Akane's face, who is continuing to scream at him. "Don't look at me like you feel sorry about me! You knew about Ryoga being P-Chan, didn't you? That's why you fought with him all the time, isn't it?" Ranma's mouth drops in surprise at this statement. Ranma's lack of response only infuriates Akane more. "You are disgusting! You knew what he was yet you let him do it anyway! Do you even care about me at all? Do you?"  
  
Kasumi reaches out to put a hand on Akane's arm. Akane takes a step back. Akane stops screaming as she starts to tire. "No, Kasumi. He's not getting out of it this time. I want to hear what made him think he could allow Ryoga to do what he did. Well, Ranma?"  
  
Ranma looks at Akane briefly before bowing his head. "It was my fault Ryoga fell in the spring. He made me promise not to tell anyone. I'm sorry Akane, but I was honor bound not to tell anyone."  
  
Akane steps towards Ranma. Tears are more apparent as Akane seems on the verge of crying. "YOU'RE SORRY? Why was it OK to allow my honor to be stained as long as yours was intact?"  
  
Ranma looks up at Akane in near shock. "Wh-what?"  
  
"You heard me! How is my honor affected knowing a man has slept in my bed with me, listened to my secrets, or even seen me naked? Did you ever bother to think about anyone but yourself? You owe me for this Ranma Saotome, and you better not leave before you make up for this!" Akane turns and runs upstairs. Those still downstairs can hear her crying.  
  
Ranma looks at Akane as she runs off. {What have I done?}  
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Author's Note: I was going to stop it here, but that would be WAY too mean.  
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Kasumi looks over to Nabiki, who seems speechless. When she looks over at Ranma, she sees a pained and worried look on his as he stares at the tears Akane left on the floor. "Ranma, is this true? Did you really know Ryoga was P-Chan?"  
  
Ranma quietly replies, "Yes."  
  
"Kasumi." Kasumi turns to look at Nabiki, who has a guilty look on her face and is staring down at the table. "I knew too."  
  
Kasumi gasps in shock. She looks at these two guilt-ridden people and takes a deep breath before speaking. "Since you knew too, you can help Ranma."  
  
Nabiki looks at her sister in surprise and confusion. "Help Ranma with what?"  
  
"Nabiki, I think this is too big for Ranma to handle by himself. He'll need some help making up for this one, and you have the skills and resources necessary to help him. Call it repentance for not saying anything about Ryoga earlier."  
  
Ranma looks over at Kasumi. "Can I even make up for this? I would think she would never want to see me again."  
  
Kasumi reaches over and puts her hand on Ranma's arm. "Didn't you hear what she said? She told you not to leave. She wants to make up for this. She wants you to prove you do care for her. You do, don't you?"  
  
Ranma looks down at the ground again. He starts to mumble, "Maybe, kind of, sort of a little."  
  
Nabiki has regained her normally calm, cool attitude. "That's good enough for me. Look at this way Saotome. Call it training."  
  
"Training?"  
  
"Yeah. How about Martial Arts Making-up, or Martial Arts Apologizing? Maybe even Martial Arts Kissing Butt?"  
  
Ranma pounds his fist on the table. "I'm not my dad! I don't bow and scrape to anybody!"  
  
Nabiki smiles. "Good. You acting depressed was almost out of character for you. Use that over inflated ego to stay on top of this and prove you love Akane."  
  
Ranma stands up and thrusts a fist into the air. "Damn straight! Nothing will stop me from proving how much I... I..." Ranma's eyes roll back into his head as he falls backwards unconscious.  
  
Nabiki snaps her fingers. "Darn, I thought for sure he was going to say it. Oh well, I guess I'll get started. Hey sis, you need any help cleaning up here?"  
  
"That's OK Nabiki, I've got everything here under control. What do you plan on doing?"  
  
"I'm not quite sure yet. Do you know where a girl can get a bottle of chocolate syrup this time of night?"  
  
Kasumi gasps and puts her hand over her mouth. "Nabiki!" Both girls look at each other and burst into laughter.  
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Author's Notes: Thanks to Langdz for pre-reading this for me, and a big thanks to animecartoons for reminding me to finish this fic. I hope to try and keep this story arc more light hearted and happy, but there will be a little bit of sadness. Next chapter is for all you Ranma+Akane fans, as Ranma tries to make up for this. It's too bad Shampoo and Ukyo find out about it. Anyway, please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (ntwinkie@effectnet.com) 


	12. Chapter 12

Broken Hearts, Mended Souls  
By  
Nuclear Twinkie  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Disclaimer: In all seriousness, all rights to Ranma1/2 and its characters go to Rumiko Takahashi. In all silliness... "Wow, Ranma's life is just as messed up as mine. Do you really think he'll be able to resolve all this?" Ranma never accepts failure at almost anything he does. Yeah Tenchi, I'm sure he'll resolve it, but not like everyone thinks. "Trying to stay away from the fanfic clichés, huh?" I try, but sometimes... oh man, Tenchi hide quick! "Where is Lord Tenchi?" I told you Ayeka, I don't know. "Something makes me think you're lying." What reason would I have to lie to beautiful girl like you? "Well, you do have good taste. Very well, I'm leaving." She gone, you can come out now Tenchi. "Man, how did they get here?" I don't know, but I'm trying to write a fic and keep getting interrupted. If I ever get my hands on Washu...  
  
{} = Character Thoughts  
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"Yo, Akane"  
  
"You might want to change that to Dear, Akane."  
  
"D-d-ear Akane? What kind of letter do you think this is?" Ranma is sitting at a desk in Nabiki's room. He is dressed in his normal Chinese clothes and appears nervous. He is holding a pen and there is a trashcan next to the desk filled with crumpled up pieces of paper. Ranma is looking at Nabiki in surprise. Nabiki is sitting on her bed with her arms crossed and a tired look on her face. It's early evening and the sun has just set.  
  
"It's a letter to help make up for not telling her about Ryoga. You have to be as nice as possible, and it just so happens girls like being called dear."  
  
Ranma sighs and returns to writing. "If you say so Nabiki. Dear Akane." Ranma sits unmoving staring at the sheet of paper. A look of intense concentration appears on his face as Nabiki gets increasingly annoyed.  
  
"You know, Ranma, it helps if you move that little stick called a pen across the paper. It makes marks that other people can read."  
  
"I KNOW THAT! I'm no good at this stuff. How in the world am I going to make this up to her in one letter?"  
  
Nabiki sighs and moves closer to the desk. "You're not Ranma, but the letter is the beginning. Just pretend that I'm Akane and you trying to apologize for everything, but instead of speaking, just write it down."  
  
"That's a great idea Nabiki. OK, Dear Akane..."  
  
Elsewhere in the house, Kasumi is holding a tray with milk and cookies as she knocks on Akane's door. "Akane, I brought some milk and cookies."  
  
A tired and angry sounding voice comes in from the other side of the door. "I'm not hungry."  
  
"I understand, but may I at least come in? Please, little sister."  
  
Kasumi hears the click of the doorknob and door opens just a crack. Kasumi carefully pushes the door open to see Akane walking back across the room. Kasumi walks in, sets the tray on the desk, and sits down on the chair as Akane turns and sits down on the edge of her bed.   
  
Akane's cheeks are wet and her eyes puffy and red. Her hair is uncombed from time laying in bed, and she is already in her yellow pajamas. She reaches over to grab a pillow, which she wraps both arms around and squeezes. She hangs her head and sighs. "Ka-Kasumi, I..."  
  
"There's no need to say anything yet, Akane. First, have a cookie." Kasumi pulls the towel of the plate filled with warm, chocolate chip cookies and holds it out to Akane. The smell of the fresh baked cookies fills the room.  
  
Akane slowly looks up and sees the plate of cookies. She stares for just a moment before putting her head back down. "Kasumi, I'm not really hungry."  
  
"You're going to refuse one of my fresh baked, chocolate chip cookies?" Kasumi exaggerates holding the cookie under her nose and breathes in deeply. She then moves the plate close to Akane's face, hoping the smell will reach her. "They smell sooooo good. Are you sure you don't want even one?"  
  
Akane looks at the plate and then looks up at her sister. She manages to smile through all the pain. "Thanks, Kasumi." Akane picks up a cookie and takes a small bite. "These are pretty good."  
  
"I told you they were good. Now, I want to think about nothing but cookies and milk for the next five minutes. If that becomes too hard, just eat another cookie."  
  
Akane gives Kasumi a confused look. "Cookies? Kasumi, I don't think..."  
  
Kasumi interrupts Akane. "Milk? You can't eat cookies without a cold, tall glass of milk. Here you go."  
  
Kasumi hands Akane the glass. Akane takes a small drink and then another bite of the cookie. She continues to eat cookies and drink milk for several minutes. Kasumi then takes the empty glass form Akane. "Now don't you feel better?"  
  
"Yeah, I actually do. Thanks Kasumi." Akane gets up and gives her sister a hug.  
  
"That's what us big sisters are for, Akane. Now, tell me what's wrong." Kasumi continues to hug Akane as Akane tells her everything and cries herself to sleep.  
  
The next morning Akane gets out of bed and gets ready for school. She opens her bedroom and finds an envelope taped to the door. It has her name written on it in handwriting so horrible, it has to be Ranma's. She rips the envelope off the door and throws it in the trash. She walks downstairs and into the kitchen without even acknowledging anyone. Her father, Genma, Nabiki, and Kasumi are all at the breakfast table. She grabs her lunch and walks to the front door.  
  
Kasumi walks up to Akane as she is putting on her shoes. "Akane, you haven't even eaten breakfast yet. Are you leaving for school already?"  
  
Akane looks at Kasumi and forces a smile. "I'm not that hungry Kasumi. Thanks anyway. Bye!" Akane opens the door and runs off to school. {I just don't want to see Ranma right now. I'm not going to have much of a choice once I get to school, but if he says even one word to me I'll mallet him into the middle of next week!}  
  
Akane gets to school early again, and immediately proceeds into school. As she gets to her locker and opens it to put her shoes in, another envelope with Ranma's handwriting falls out. Akane stares at the letter as tears form in her eyes. "That, that idiot!!!"  
  
"Akane, what's wrong?" As Akane looks up at Sayuri and Yuka, they gasp as they see her tear stained face. They run over to her as Yuka puts her hands on Akane shoulders. "Akane what is wrong? You almost never cry at school."  
  
Sayuri reaches down and picks up the envelope. She recognizes Ranma's handwriting but forgets she grabbed the letter as Akane starts crying harder and hugs Yuka for support. Sayuri puts a hand on Yuka's shoulder to get her attention. "C'mon, let's get Akane out of here. I don't think missing one day of school will make a difference." As the girls walk off, they don't notice the figure hiding in the shadows following them.  
  
Later, the three girls are sitting under a tree in a nearby park. Akane has stopped crying and just finished telling them both what has happened. "...And now Ranma keeps leaving these letters for me to find."  
  
Sayuri holds up the letter Akane dropped at school. "Have you read it to see what it says?"  
  
Akane grabs the letter, crumples it up, and throws it away from her. "Why would I want to? He cares more about himself and being a martial artist than he ever will about, about..."  
  
Yuka takes a deep breath. "Akane, you don't have to say anything, but it has become apparent that you do care about him. We both know it, and we know that you want him to care about you."  
  
Akane begins to protest, but Sayuri takes her hand. "You know she's right, and you know from everything that has happened that he cares about you too." Akane looks at Sayuri in shock. "You know it's true. Look, if he does care, there will be another letter waiting for at home, right?"  
  
Akane quietly says, "Yeah... but..."  
  
Yuka takes Akane's other hand. "But nothing Akane. This is really tearing you up, and you need to figure out how you feel about Ranma. Whether you decide you hate him or like him, you need to decide once and for all. We'll be here to back up whatever you decide."  
  
Akane smiles as she looks at the other two girls. "Thanks. You two are the best friends anyone could have." Akane grabs the other two and they share a hug for several moments. They all stand up. "I'm just going to go home. I've got a lot to think about."  
  
"Do you want us to walk you home?"  
  
Akane shakes her head. "I should be OK. I kind of need some time to think. Sayuri, Yuka, thanks again."  
  
Sayuri and Yuka give Akane another hug and then head home as well. None of them notice the hidden figure that darts in the direction of the Tendo Dojo.  
  
Akane slowly walks home, leaving plenty of time for thought. {I guess the big question is, do I love Ranma? Do I love that insensitive jerk? HA! I could never love him! He insults my cooking, and does whatever he can to not eat it. He thinks I'm a horrible martial artist, and won't even spar with me for real. He's always telling I'm an uncute, unsexy tomboy. No matter what I make for him, he always finds ways to insult it. He absolutely horrible! He even picks on poor little P-Chan...}  
  
Akane kicks a rock and leans against the railing of the canal. She looks up to see the sun in the afternoon sky. {I never realized how much Ranma tried to pick on him. I always Ranma was jealous of a little pig. I always thought it was so silly. He did try to do whatever he could to keep him away from me. Now that I think about it, he did drop clues everywhere trying to get me to realize it. NO!!} Akane brings her fist down on the railing, severely smashing it out of shape. She turns and starts to stomp home in anger.  
  
{That is no excuse! He let Ryoga do all that to me without ever telling me! I will never forgive him! I'm going to go home and tell him I want him to leave. I never want to see him again! Yeah, that's exactly what I'm going to do. It's what's right. Forget him and move on.} Akane sighs as she slows down her pace of walking.  
  
{Why does it sound like I'm trying to convince myself, instead of stating a fact? Do I want to never see Ranma again? I can't even imagine what life would have been like the last year and a half without him. I remember when he saved me. How could I not? Toma, Taro, Kirin, Moose, Mikado, Safron. I can't possibly count all the times he has fought for me. He's even destroyed Jusenkyo and the spring on Togenkyo for me. Sayuri and Yuka are right. He does care about me, but do I care about him?}  
  
Akane finally makes it home. She walks inside and is taking of her shoes as Kasumi comes to see who came in the door. "Akane, what are you doing home? School isn't out for another two hours."  
  
Akane puts on her slippers and looks at her sister. "I decided to come home early. I just wasn't feeling up to going to school all day."  
  
Kasumi walks up to Akane and puts her hand on Akane's forehead. "Oh my, are you feeling all right? Should I call Doctor Tofu?"  
  
Akane smiles and gently removes Kasumi's hand. "It's not that kind of feeling all right. I just don't know how to deal with everything that's happened in the last week."  
  
Kasumi smiles. "Why don't you go up to your room and get some rest. If you need more milk and cookies, just let me know."  
  
Akane starts walking up the stairs and turns around long enough to say "Thanks, big sister." Akane gets to her bedroom door and sees another note taped to it, but this time a single long-stemmed red rose is there as well. {A rose, from Ranma?!?} She takes the note and rose, inhaling the fragrance of the latter it as she enters her room. {It smells so good.} Akane sits down on her bed, lays the rose down next to her and stares at the envelope. {Well, I might as well read what he has to say}  
  
***  
  
Dear Akane,   
  
First, I want to say I'm not very good at this type of thing, but I knew I had to say something. I wanted to explain why I did what I did, and why I now know that what I did was wrong. Akane, my dad is many things, but honorable isn't one of them. My dad has done so many bad things, that I wanted to make sure I didn't end up like him. That's why I never told anyone about Ryoga's curse. When I found out I was the one who knocked him into the spring, I had to make it up to him somehow. I now understand that not telling you was wrong.  
  
Akane, I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you, and didn't fully realize how much this would hurt you. I won't make excuses or try to beg for forgiveness. That's what my dad would do, not me. All I ask is the chance to make it up to you. I made a mistake, and would like to make amends. Akane, when you are done reading this please meet me up on the roof. It's where I've been most of the day. Please talk to me Akane. I care about you too much to end it like this.  
  
Ranma  
  
***  
  
Akane stares at the end of the letter in shock. {He, he admitted it. He cares about me, but do I care about him?} Akane walks downstairs and out the front door. She climbs up a ladder and onto the roof. She looks to see Ranma sitting there staring at the setting sun. Akane walks over and sits down next to him. She is carrying the rose and letter he gave her.  
  
Both of them are looking at the sunset instead of each other. Without turning to him, Akane asks, "Ranma, is what this letter says true? Do you really c-ca-care about me?"  
  
Ranma turns his head and looks at her. "Yes. Yes I do, but it doesn't matter."  
  
Akane is stunned. She grabs his arm. "Why, why doesn't it matter Ranma? Why?"  
  
Neither of them notices the figure that has shadowed Akane, hanging of the edge of the roof spying on them. The figure that is just as stunned as Akane. That figure is now overflowing with anger and feelings of betrayal. That figure is trying to remain calm, instead of doing everything she can to kill both Ranma and Akane. She moves her hand to her weapon as she realizes being calm isn't going to happen.  
  
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Author's Notes: Thanks yet again to Langdz for pre-reading this. I never realized how fun cliffhangers are from the writer's point of view. Boy, am I evil or what? Anyway, please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (ntwinkie@effectnet.com) 


	13. Chapter 13

Broken Hearts, Mended Souls  
By  
Nuclear Twinkie  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Disclaimer: In all seriousness, all rights to Ranma1/2 and its characters go to Rumiko Takahashi. In all silliness... "Hello you two" "Washu!" YOU! Do you know what hell I have been through trying to get this fic written! I can understand sending Tenchi here to hide, but why everybody else? "Now what fun would that be?" Fun? Why I ought to... "Now now, behave yourself." Bzzzt! Hey, let me out of this thing! I have a fic to write! "Only after you promise to behave." I'll only behave if you promise to take everyone back. "Hey, I was beginning to like it here." Sorry Tenchi, it's you or me. "I agree, but only if ask nicely." Please, pretty please take everyone back Washu-chan. "Oh, I like you. Very well." POP! What the? When I said everyone that did not include me. ARGH!  
  
{} = Character Thoughts  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Akane is stunned. She grabs his arm. "Why, why doesn't it matter Ranma? Why?"  
  
Ranma completely turns and faces Akane. His face is a mask of pain, anger, and determination. "Even if I do care about you, there is nothing I can do about it."  
  
Akane is confused, and quickly starting to get angry. "What do you mean there is nothing you can do about it? Ranma, what in the world are you talking about?"  
  
"Think about it Akane. How many people get hurt if I suddenly announce I care about you? Not to mention the trouble your dad and mine will cause us. We'll most likely be married the next day. It just can't happen Akane." Ranma doubles his fists in frustration and turns back towards the sunset. "I'm sorry about Ryoga. I should have told you. You were right."  
  
Akane's jaw drops in amazement. {First he writes me a letter saying he cares; then he says it doesn't matter; now he's apologizing. This is just too much.} Akane reigns in her anger. "Ranma, so much has happened, so much I want to ask about, but I don't even know where to start."  
  
Ranma never turns his face from the horizon, which is now fading into darkness. "You'll just have to trust me Akane, I have a plan."  
  
"A plan?" Akane grabs Ranma's arm and pulls him so he is facing her. "Ranma, what are you talking about?"  
  
Ranma looks at his fiancée for a moment before getting that cocky grin on his face. "Look Akane, I have a plan to fix everything, but I can't tell you. If I do, something might get messed up. Hell, I don't even know what the entire plan is yet."  
  
"Did this have something to do with that training trip you took with Mousse and Konatsu?"  
  
Ranma puts his hand behind his head and chuckles as he obviously looks for a way out of answering this question. "Training trip? Oh yeah, that. Heh heh."  
  
Akane stares at Ranma for several long seconds. {He's definitely hiding something. That training trip was for more than just training. People hurt? I suppose he's talking about the other fiancées. He always thinks about them before me. That baka! He did apologize for the Ryoga thing, and he actually admitted he cared for me. Now there's some plan he won't even tell me about. Do I care about him, or hate him? ARGH! Well, if I'm confused, he should be too.} "Ranma?"  
  
Ranma lowers his hand and looks at Akane. She is smiling and staring up at him with bright brown eyes. {Man, she's really cute all of a sudden. Should I be happy, or scared?} "Uh, yeah Akane?"  
  
Akane steps closer towards Ranma. "This for the letter." Akane reaches up and kisses Ranma on the cheek. While Ranma is stunned, "And this is for everything else!" As Akane pulls out her mallet and raises it to smash Ranma once again, the figure in the shadows reaches a critical point. Her weapons are drawn. Her anger unleashed. Her conscious dwarfed by the pain of what she just saw. A scream of primal rage escapes her as she leaps into the air. She throws a handful of sharpened mini-spatulas at Akane and comes down with an overhead swing of her two-handed battle spatula.  
  
Akane looks up in shock as Ranma grabs her and pulls her from the line of fire. One mini-spatula manages to cut Akane's arm as she is barely pulled out of the way in time. Ukyo's battle spatula comes down and smashes into the roof.  
  
Ranma, seeing the cut on Akane's arm, is not happy to say the least. "Ukyo, what the heck are you..." Ranma's words are cut off as Ukyo brings her weapon around to swing at both Ranma and Akane. Ranma jumps backwards with Akane into the backyard of the Tendo home. He sets Akane down in time to dodge another swing form Ukyo's spatula. Ranma now gets a good look at Ukyo. He is shocked to see tear-stained cheeks on a face filled with hatred and pain.  
  
Ukyo swings again, but Ranma dodges to the side and executes two quick hits to Ukyo's wrists, disarming her. Before the battle spatula can hit the ground, Ranma grabs it and hurls it to the side. The spatula embeds itself into the wall around the Tendo home. "Ukyo, what are you doing?" Ukyo's response is to attack Ranma barehanded. Ranma ducks and sweeps Ukyo's feet out from under her. By the time she hits the ground, Ranma is already sitting on her pinning her legs and arms. "Ukyo, what is wrong with you? Why are you doing this?"  
  
Ukyo turns her head to the side in defeat, tears streaming from her face. As Ranma gets up to try and help Ukyo, she jumps up and over the fence to disappear into the night. Ranma starts to chase after her, and then turns to Akane. He runs over and checks her arm, which is now thoroughly covered in blood. Ranma picks up Akane and runs into the house, yelling for Kasumi.  
  
Later, Akane is lying in bed with Ranma and Kasumi in the room. Akane has the shirtsleeve of her school uniform torn off and a large bandage on her arm. Kasumi looks at Ranma and Akane with concern. "Do either of you have any idea why Ukyo would do such a thing?"  
  
Ranma shakes his head. "I certainly don't. She just showed up out of the middle of nowhere and attacked us. She normally uses the flat of the blade when fighting, but this time she was using the sharpened edge. She was seriously trying to hurt us." Ranma punches the floor next to him. "Why would she do something like that?"  
  
Akane, in very quiet voice says, "I think I know."  
  
Ranma jumps from the floor to Akane's side. "You know? Really?"  
  
Akane nods her head and then looks to Kasumi. "Kasumi, can I talk to Ranma alone for a sec?"  
  
Kasumi gathers the first aid kit and stands up to leave. "OK, but call me I you need anything. Don't get her too excited Ranma. She's had a long day." Kasumi walks out of the room and shuts the door.  
  
"Akane, what is it? What made Ukyo go crazy like that?"  
  
Akane looks at Ranma sadly. "I think she heard us talking Ranma."  
  
Ranma looks confused. "Why would that... Oh."  
  
Akane sits up and turns to Ranma. "Yeah, and if she heard your answer to the question I asked you, that could explain it."  
  
"There's just no way Akane. Ukyo's my friend. She wasn't herself. She was actually trying to hurt us. Maybe the old ghoul drugged her or something."  
  
Akane starts yelling. "What?? Ranma, do you remember the wedding? Do you remember who threw explosives into a room filled with people because she thought we were getting married? That WAS Ukyo, whether you want to admit it or not, and for the second time, your friend tried to kill me. Ranma, when are you..." Ranma jumps up and runs out the door of Akane's room.  
  
"Ranma, where are you..." {I guess your going after Ukyo. You do care about everyone don't you?} Akane looks at the door to her room and sighs. "Ranma."  
  
Ranma sprints thru the Tendo house and straight out the front gates. {Ukyo! I can't believe she was hurt enough to attack Akane and me. I have to make sure she is OK. Oh man, who am I kidding? She probably hates me now. I have got to do something. I have to try and make it right!} Ranma slides to a stop in front of Ukyo's restaurant. {Well, here goes.} Ranma slides the door open and steps inside.  
  
The restaurant is definitely closed. Lights are all off, chairs are turned upside down onto the tables, and the place is awfully quiet. Ranma slowly walks in and looks around. He spots a light up the stairs on the far side of the restaurant and slowly ascends the stairs.  
  
Ranma reaches the top and sees the light is coming from Ukyo's bedroom just ahead of him. "Ukyo. Ukyo, it's me Ranma."  
  
"GO AWAY!!"  
  
{Aw man, she sound so hurt. I knew this was going to happen.} "Ukyo, please give me a chance to explain. I didn't want to see you hurt like this."  
  
Ukyo comes storming around the corner. Her eyes are puffy from crying, her hair is in disarray, and her voice is scratchy from heavy crying. She stomps up to Ranma and punches him in the chest, who doesn't even block it. "Didn't want to see me hurt? You bastard! I spend years in hell because of you, but I put it all aside when I met you again, only to find out you are choosing Akane over me! You son of a bitch! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" Each iteration of 'I hate you' is joined by another punch at Ranma, who just puts his arms in front of his chest and lets her hit him.  
  
This continues for quite a while until Ukyo loses the strength to hit Ranma anymore. She finally looks up at him. All her pain is clearly visible on her face. "Why? Why not me? What did I do wrong?"  
  
Ranma attempts to put a hand on Ukyo's shoulder only to have her bat it away. He sighs, and then responds, "Ukyo, it's nothing you did. If anything, it's my fault. At first, I didn't worry about it because I didn't expect to marry anybody. Pops and Mr. Tendo were trying to force Akane on me, and then there's the old ghoul. It was starting to get kinda depressing until you showed up. You were, no you ARE, my best friend. It was great having one of my best friends around to hang out with. After a while, I realized you wanted to be more than just my friend. I also realized choosing anybody would hurt people, like it's hurting you. I'm really sorry, Ukyo. I just didn't know how to make it so no one would be hurt."  
  
Ranma bows his head and sighs again. Ukyo puts a finger under Ranma's chin and slowly raises his head. "That's not what I meant when I said why. Why not me, Ranma? Why did you choose Akane instead of me? What is wrong with me that's so horrible that you don't want me part of your life?"  
  
Ranma Looks up stunned. "Ukyo, you're my best friend. I want you part of my life. I wouldn't be here if I didn't. You gotta believe me Ukyo, it wasn't anything you did wrong. Look, I don't know what I can do to make this right Ukyo, but I swear I'll do what I need to do. You just have to help me figure out what that is."  
  
Ukyo is still looking up at Ranma. "I don't know if there is anything you can do to make this right, Ranma." She turns around and starts walking into her room. She stops long enough to say, "For now, just leave me alone." She continues into her room and turns off the light.  
  
Ranma remains standing in the hallway. {She's so, so hurt. Why did I have to go and do this? Is causing anyone this much pain worth my happiness? Man, I sure messed up this time.} Ranma turns around and slowly walks downstairs and out the door of Ucchan's. He turns to start walking home and sees Akane standing next to the entrance. "Akane, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Ranma, I knew where you were going. It didn't take much for me to figure it out. How's Ukyo?"  
  
Ranma bows his head in sadness. "She's so hurt Akane. This is why I didn't want to do this. I'm... I'm afraid she won't want to be my friend anymore."  
  
Without saying a word, Akane walks up and hugs Ranma in an effort to comfort him. Ranma stiffens in alarm for a moment and then returns the hug. Ranma then looks at Akane and smiles. They both begin the walk home. Akane reaches out to hold Ranma's hand. Ranma looks at Akane and smiles as he accepts her hand in his. Ukyo looking out the window at both of them falls onto her bed and cries herself to sleep.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Author's Notes: Thanks yet again to Langdz for pre-reading this. Anyway, please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (NuclearTwinkie@MindFlayers.net) 


	14. Chapter 14

Broken Hearts, Mended Souls  
By  
Nuclear Twinkie  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Disclaimer: In all seriousness, all rights to Ranma1/2 and its characters go to Rumiko Takahashi. In all silliness... BOOM! What the hell was that? "I think it's just Ayeka and Ryoko fighting again." I'm trying to write a fic here. How do you live with all the noise? "Well, you kind of get used to it after a while." Used to it? I wonder if there is someway to find someplace that's a little quieter. "I can help with that" "Washu!" Washu! No thanks, but I'll get used to it like Tenchi said. "Oh, don't be like that. Tenchi, and I can go with you to someplace much more peaceful. BzzZAP!! "Washu, what did you do? Where are... How the hell did we end up here??"  
  
{} = Character Thoughts  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
{Loneliness.}  
  
{Sadness.}  
  
{I no longer have any meaning or purpose. My life is empty.} Ryoga slowly stumbles his way thru a forest somewhere in Japan. The forest is rather thick and the occasional stream of sunlight leaks down thru the overgrowth. His head is bowed in sadness, and he looks bedraggled and filthy. There is the occasional twig and leaf hanging from his person, as if he had walked straight thru the forest without bothering to go around anything. Ryoga continues his seemingly unending walk of sadness thru the forest.  
  
{My life is so empty. Akane finally found out about my curse. She broke into a rage and tried to kill me. I thought that was the most horrible thing that could have happened. I hate being wrong all the time.}   
  
Ryoga continues his trek thru the forest. A rather large shadow momentarily covers him as a bird flies over. Ryoga doesn't even notice. {I can still hear Akane's voice as clear as day. 'I don't know if I'll ever forgive you. You have betrayed my trust and my friendship. I would rather lose the dojo than depend on you to defend it.'} Ryoga stops moving forward and sighs. {It was my fault she got hurt. It was my fault she said that. It was my fault she got hit by that thug. Everything is my fault. My life is so empty. I have nothing left but a dying, broken heart and that giant platypus.}  
  
Ryoga stands there wallowing in the horrible depths of depression until what is left of his brain kicks in. {What the heck? Giant platypus?} Ryoga looks up to see a duck-billed platypus of enormous proportions looming over him. The platypus does not look happy to see him. {Ryogenzawa. Man, I hate this place. Stupid giant animals.}  
  
Ryoga pulls his umbrella and waves it at the platypus. "Go away! Leave me alone! Shoo! I may be sad but I don't want to be eaten by a giant platypus." Ryoga lowers his umbrella and looks up at the creature questioningly. "Hmmm, I wonder what a platypus does eat?" Just then, the platypus lifts up a front paw and swipes at Ryoga. He jumps into the air and brings his umbrella down on top of the creature's head. It falls to the ground unconscious.  
  
{I guess I hit it a little hard. Just like Akane tried to do to me.} The tip of Ryoga's umbrella falls to the ground as he sighs again in sadness.  
  
"Hey! What do you think you're doing to that platypus?"  
  
Ryoga turns around to see a boy about his age walking out of the surrounding forest. The boy is wearing a light blue t-shirt with white trim underneath a dark blue jacket and a white headband. He is carrying a wooden push broom, and does not look happy.  
  
Ryoga turns to face the boy. "Hey, I know you. You're Shinnosuke, right?"  
  
Shinnosuke gets a look of confusion on his face. "Have we met before?"  
  
Ryoga lifts his hand behind his head. "Uh, kind of. Sorry about the platypus, but it attacked me first."  
  
Shinnosuke walks over to examine the animal. "It's ok, just try not to hit them so hard. They may be big, but they are just normal animals. Anyway, you shouldn't even be here. You should leave here as soon as possible."  
  
Ryoga slides his umbrella onto the loops on his backpack. "Sure, no problem" {Just one more person that doesn't want me around. Typical.} Ryoga turns and starts walking away.  
  
"Hey, you're walking deeper into Ryogenzawa, not out of it. You want to go that way." Shinnosuke points in the opposite direction Ryoga was walking.  
  
Ryoga clenches his fist and closes his eyes. {Damn it! As if the curse wasn't enough, as if Akane hating me wasn't enough, I still can't even find my way anywhere!} Ryoga raises his head to scream at the sky, "Damn my direction sense! Damn this curse! Just damn it all! What else could possibly go wrong?" At that exact moment, a downpour of rain begins. Ryoga shrinks away and becomes P-chan. {Typical. I hate my life.}  
  
Shinnosuke stares at the little, black piglet sitting in Ryoga's clothes before walking over to pick him up. "Are, are you that guy that was here just now?"  
  
P-chan slowly nods. Shinnosuke picks up all the rest of Ryoga gear. "Wow, this is different. Let me take you back to my place so you can rest and get out of this rain." Shinnosuke starts walking thru the forest.  
  
P-chan remains quiet as Shinnosuke carries him thru the forest. After nearly half an hour, they break thru the forest into a small clearing. A small wooden house is present in the middle of this clearing. Smoke from a chimney is apparent as well as the light inside the building. Shinnosuke walks to the door of the building and opens it. An old is sitting by the fireplace slowly replacing the teakettle hanging above it. There is a cup of steaming water he apparently just filled sitting on the coffee table next to him.  
  
Shinnosuke walks in and sets everything but P-chan down next to the door. He removes his shoes and starts to walk over to the coffee table, when he stops to stare at the old man again. "Who are you?"  
  
The old man stands up and takes a deep breath. He the leaps over the table and punches Shinnosuke in the head as he screams, "Megaton Punch!" Shinnosuke falls backwards and land on his butt. The old man looks down and says, "How many times do I have to tell you Shin-boy, I'm you're grandpa."  
  
Unnoticed by either of the humans in the room is the small, black piglet in flight across the room. It starts its decent directly towards the steaming cup of tea on the table. {Well, this is different. I'm heading for hot water instead of cold. Of course I'll be naked so it kind of cancels out the hot water.} P-chan hits the coffee table just right, knocks the cup of hot water onto himself and shifts forms. Both Shinnosuke and his old man turn around to see Ryoga sitting on their table without a stitch of clothing on.  
  
Shinnosuke look sat Ryoga questioningly. "Who are you?"  
  
Several minutes later, after giving Ryoga the time needed to dress, all three gentlemen are sitting around the table drinking tea. Shinnosuke's grandfather looks at Ryoga. "So let me se if I have this straight. You turn into that black piglet we saw earlier when splashed with cold water, turn back into a boy when splashed with hot water, and you got this curse from some cursed training ground in China?"  
  
Ryoga takes a sip of his and nods.  
  
Shinnosuke's grandfather slams his teacup down on the table and raises his fist in triumph. "Well, this is great! I'll actually get to test it out now!"  
  
Ryoga spits his tea across the room. The next thing anyone knows, the old man is now off floor and hanging in the air from Ryoga's fists, which are gripped onto the front of the old man's shirt. "Test, old man? What do you think I'm going to let you do to me?"  
  
"Why, try to cure your curse, of course."  
  
"Cure my, what?" Ryoga is stunned and slowly releases the old man.   
  
The old man walks across the room to an old looking chest. "Sit down, my boy. All will be explained in a moment. I know it's in here somewhere. Yes!" The pulls man pulls out a strange looking bottle that appears to have a rolled up scroll inside. He walks back to the table and sits down. He yanks a cork form the top of the bottle and slides the scroll out. He then carefully unrolls the scroll and lays it in the table.   
  
"Here it is. I found this shortly after the battle we had with the Orochi last year."  
  
Shinnosuke, looking confused yet again, "What battle?"  
  
The old man sighs. "Poor Shin-boy. Why don't you just go start dinner? I'll be up to help you in a couple of minutes." As Shinnosuke gets up and walks towards the cooking area, the old man turns back to Ryoga and the scroll.  
  
"It must have been buried at the bottom of the Orochi's lake for quite a while. It seems to be in an older dialect of Japanese, which means it may be hundreds of years old. It tells of a way using various items mixed into the water of life that can remove curses. Of course, I haven't really had anyone that could verify this for me until now."  
  
Ryoga sits staring at the scroll. {Cured? Would it really matter if the pig were gone? Would anyone even care?} Ryoga sighs and stands up. "Thanks old man, but it doesn't really matter anymore if this curse is gone or not. Nothing really matters now."  
  
As Ryoga starts to walk to the door, the old man grabs Ryoga's arm. "Look boy, based on how your acting you've been through some rough times lately. I understand. I've faced some pretty bad times myself, but don't let this opportunity pass you by. Your curse must be horrible. Never being able to go swimming. Always having to watch for rain. This scroll says it can change that. At least take a look at what the scroll has to say."  
  
{Do I really deserve happiness after what I did to Akane? It probably won't work anyway. It will just be one more disappointment in my life. What's it matter?} Ryoga sits down. "All right old man. What does the scroll say I have to do?"  
  
The old man bends over the scroll. "Let's see here. First, collect the base of 1 liter of water of life. That's no problem. Slowly mix into the water of life the following:  
  
1) 100 milliliters of pigeon tears  
  
2) 200 milliliters of platypus saliva  
  
3) 100 grams of dung from the..."   
  
Ryoga slams his hand onto the table. "Wait a minute! What does that scroll say I'm actually supposed to do with all this stuff?"  
  
"Drink it."  
  
"D-d-drink it?? Are you insane? I haven't even heard 3 of the ingredients and I already don't want to go thru with this! Besides the fact that I would probably die from drinking that, who do you think is going to collect all that junk?"  
  
The old man starts to roll up the scroll. "Don't worry. I've managed to collect all but one ingredient the scrolls asks for." The old man puts the scroll back into the bottle and seals it. He leaves it on the table and gets up to help Shinnosuke with dinner.   
  
Ryoga sits at the table while Shinnosuke and his grandfather finish dinner. {Man, he expects me to drink that? This is crazy. It sounds worse than something Akane would... cook. Akane. If there was someway I could get her to not hate me. Even if we couldn't be friends again, it would be good if at least I could get her to accept an apology. Maybe, if the pig were gone...}  
  
Ryoga stares into space as the first glimmer of hope in a long time reaches his heart. {It just might work, but I know I'm missing something. Oh yeah.} "Hey, old man."  
  
Shinnosuke and his grandfather set down three large bowls of some type of stew. "Yes, my boy. What is it?"  
  
"What is that last ingredient? You said you had them all but one."  
  
"Oh yes, that. The last one is mn mnmm mnn mn nmnmnm." The last part of the old man's sentence is muffled by a spoonful of stew.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
The old man sighs. "The last one is a whisker from the orochi."  
  
"WHAT?? How am I supposed to get that?" {I knew this was too good to be true. Stupid old man. Now what do I do?}  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Author's Notes: Thanks yet again to Langdz for pre-reading this. Sorry about the long break in my fic, but I just lost the spirit to keep writing. Good thing it's back now. PLEASE post review after you read the story. I really like to get people's input on my story. Anyway, please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (Ntwinkie@effectnet.com) 


	15. Chapter 15

Broken Hearts, Mended Souls  
By  
Nuclear Twinkie  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Disclaimer: In all seriousness, all rights to Ranma1/2 and its characters go to Rumiko Takahashi. In all silliness... What the hell? "You said you wanted peace and quiet. Well, here you go." "Washu, we're on the moon." Washu, take us back. "You have to admit the view is kind of nice." Tenchi, we are on the moon. Here, how about this. Can you pretty please take us back to the earth, Washu-chan? "Since you did ask so nicely." BzzZAP!! "Oh look, penguins." Tenchi, remind next time to be a bit more specific with my requests to Washu. ARGH! When will it end?  
  
{} = Character Thoughts  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"OK, let me go over everything before I do this." Ryoga is staring at Shinnosuke's grandfather. They are standing on the edge of a lake. Ryoga is wearing a bathrobe, some slippers, and apparently little else. It is mid-afternoon on a clear day in the Ryugenzawa forest.  
  
"Since I swim fairly well as a pig, I'm going down there and will attempt to cut off the whisker using the scissors. By the way, are you sure those things will work?"  
  
Shinnosuke's grandfather holds up a strange pair of small scissors. The normal handles have been removed and replaced with small, strikingly bite shaped handles. A spring mechanism has been added to them as well to hold them open until the handles are pressed together. "Of course, my boy. Just stick these in your mouth, go down there, get one good chomp on a whisker, then drag the whisker back up."  
  
Ryoga takes the scissor-like device and examines it carefully. "You are sure it won't wake the orochi up. I'm an awfully small pig and that orochi is bound to be awfully hungry."  
  
"Don't worry. If the orochi wakes up we'll have Shin-boy here blow his whistle and send it back to sleep. No problem."  
  
Ryoga looks warily at the lake. "Why do I get the feeling I'm missing something?"  
  
"Don't worry boy. What could possibly go..." The old man is unable to finish his sentence because Ryoga's hand is over his mouth.  
  
"Are you crazy? Don't say that! My life has been bad enough lately as it is!" Ryoga slowly removes his hand, and looks over at some bushes near the lake. "Shinnosuke, is that water ready?"  
  
Shinnosuke stands up and walks over to join the others. "Yeah Ryoga, the hot water is ready in case anything goes wrong." Shinnosuke then points at his grandfather. "By the way, do you know who this old man is?"  
  
The old man closes his eyes and raises his fist before striking Shinnosuke. "Megaton Punch! I'm your grandpa!" The old man huffs in anger and turns to Ryoga. "So, are you ready?"  
  
"Why the heck am I the one swimming down there again?"  
  
The old man claps his hand on Ryoga's back. "Shin-boy doesn't swim very well and I'm just a old man. You said so yourself, you swim fairly well as a pig."  
  
{Just an old man? Yeah, right. He's probably some super martial artist just hiding his power. How did I get talked into this again? Oh well, I hope this is worth it.} "All right old man, let's do this." Ryoga walks far enough into the water to activate his curse and then crawls back out. The old man kneels down and sticks the scissors into P-chan's mouth.   
  
"A perfect fit. Good luck, boy."  
  
P-chan turns and starts to walk back to the lake. {This had better work. At least if I get eaten, no one will care.} Ryoga takes a deep breath and jumps into the water. He swims straight down for nearly half a minute. {I hope I can hold my breath as a pig long enough to make it. There it is!} He approaches the orochi and sees several long whiskers. {OK, I just need one} P-chan swims up and positions the scissors. He then swims forward and bites down. The whisker neatly gets sliced off without disturbing the orochi at all. {Woohoo! This may actually work!} P-chan drops the scissors and grabs the whisker in his mouth.   
  
As P-chan starts swimming to the surface, he hears a low rumble thru the water. {What is that? Uh-oh, where did the scissors go?} P-chan looks back and spots a rather displeased orochi with a pair of scissors embedded in its nose. {D'oh! That's bad! Swim faster! Must swim faster!}  
  
Back on the beach, Shinnosuke and his grandfather patiently wait for Ryoga. They look at the water to see P-chan shoot out the water like a rocket, immediately followed by huge wave caused by the emergence of the orochi. The large wave hits Shinnosuke and the old man sending them flying away from the lake. The old man Stumbles out of the bushes. "Shin-boy! Blow the whistle!"  
  
Shinnosuke reaches down to grab the whistle when he realizes it is not there. He frantically checks all his pockets before yelling, "It's gone! It must have got ripped off me when the water hit! I don't know-" Shinnosuke is suddenly cut off as he barely manages to avoid the orochi head that just tried to snap at him. "Find the whistle! I'll try and distract it!" Shinnosuke picks up his push broom and charges the orochi.  
  
The old man rushes over to where Shinnosuke was standing. "No Shin-boy! It's too dangerous! Come back!" The old man looks up to see another orochi head diving at him. He turns his head and closes his eyes, ready for the worst.   
  
WHAM! "Hey, old man! Don't just stand around! Find the damn whistle!" The old man looks up to see Ryoga standing on top the now unconscious orochi head. Ryoga is now clothed and holding his umbrella. There is a large bump on top of the orochi head he is on. He then jumps into the air towards another orochi head.   
  
While the old man is desperately attempting to find the whistle, Ryoga and Shinnosuke are bouncing around between the orochi heads attempting to distract it as long as possible. Ryoga smacks one orochi head aside and looks to see Shinnosuke being blindsided by one of three heads trying to devour him. "Shinnouske!"  
  
An orochi head violently slams into Shinnosuke, sending him tumbling to the ground like a broken rag doll. Two other orochi heads dive towards the unconscious prey lying on the ground. Ryoga kicks an orochi head and flies down towards Shinnosuke. {I'm not going to make it! I have to do something! I know...if I can get depressed enough.} Ryoga becomes surrounded in a sickly green glow. {He's going to die because of me! The orochi will eat me! I have no friends! Akane hates me! Aaarrrggghhh!} Ryoga points one hand at each orochi head about to devour Shinnosuke. "DUAL SHI SHI HOKOUDAN!" A beam of ki energy leaves each hand and strikes the orochi heads dead on. They slam into the ground on either side of Shinnosuke, followed by Ryoga who lands next to Shinnosuke.  
  
Ryoga is breathing heavily and extremely fatigued from his attack. He reaches down and shakes Shinnosuke lightly. "Shinnosuke, wake up! You have got to get out of here!" Ryoga looks up to see four orochi heads still conscious, and all of them are staring at him. {Oh well, death can't be any worse.} Ryoga hears the orochi roar, and sees them dive towards him and Shinnosuke. Ryoga closes his eyes expecting instant death, and nothing happens. Before he can open his eyes he hears a shrill, high-pitched sound coming into his hearing range and he realizes what it is.  
  
Shinnosuke's grandfather walks towards them blowing on the whistle. The remaining orochi heads start to close their eyes as they sink back into the water. Ryoga exhales in relief as he falls over and allows exhaustion to take him into unconsciousness.  
  
Ryoga awakens to find himself on a path in the middle of a darkened forest. {What the heck? Where am I? What happened to Shinnosuke and his grandfather?} Ryoga starts to follow the path he is on until he comes to a fork in the road. {Great, now which way do I go?} Ryoga looks down one path and sees Akane. She has tears in her eyes and looks like she did the day she found out he was P-Chan. {Oh Akane, I'm so sorry.} Ryoga look down the other road and sees a girl obscured by mist, slowly being dragged away against her will.  
  
"Hey, wait up! What's wrong?" Ryoga runs off into the mist after here only to come to a 4-way intersection. As the mist settles, Ryoga realizes he is in some kind of maze. {Oh man, I'll never find my way through this. Sometimes I think getting lost is worse than being a pig!} "Hey! Where are you?"  
  
A girl's screaming voice is barely audible. "Ryoga!"   
  
{What, I recognize that voice! That's...}  
  
"Ryoga!"  
  
{Huh, the voice just got deeper.}  
  
"Ryoga! Wake up!"  
  
{Wait a minute, that's not her.} Ryoga slowly awakens from his dream and opens his eyes to see Shinnosuke kneeling over him. "What, what happened?" Ryoga looks over and sees Shinnosuke's grandfather sleeping near a campfire.  
  
Shinnosuke sighs in relief and leans back. "Whew, I thought you were never going to wake up. It's been almost two days since we fought the orochi. Grandfather tried to take us back to the house, but he couldn't make it with both of us so we camped about half way. We decided to stay here until you woke up and could make it on your own."  
  
Ryoga suddenly sits up. "The whisker! I set it in the bushes after I changed, but then..."  
  
"Don't worry. Grandfather found it. He said the potion should be ready by morning." Shinnosuke points to the campfire where a covered pot is hanging over the fire. "It's strange, but even after all this time, the water hasn't boiled away or anything."  
  
{My cure. I'll finally be cured of the pig. I'll be free.}  
  
Several hours pass as Ryoga gets something to eat and waits until morning. Shinnosuke's grandfather has dished a large quantity of the potion into a canteen. "Now Ryoga, you must drink it all."  
  
{Well, here goes.} Ryoga puts the canteen to his lips and gulps the entire concoction down. He takes a deep breath and looks at the old man. "So, how long before this stuff takes effect?"  
  
The old man is now standing and holding a bucket. "According to the scroll immediately." He happily hefts the cold water onto Ryoga only to lose that happiness as he watches Ryoga change. The old man quickly pours hot water onto P-chan to change him back. "I'm sorry Ryoga, we did everything the scroll said."  
  
Ryoga quickly gets dressed and looks at the old man. "Don't worry. I should have known it wouldn't work. I'll just leave now." Ryoga looks around the campsite. "Hey, did you guys bring my pack back from the lake?" Both men shake their heads. "Figures." Ryoga turns and forlornly walks towards the lake.  
  
About 30 minutes later, he is at the lake and finds his pack. {Great, now where do I want to, to... What the hell?} Ryoga looks at the lake and then looks back the direction he came from. {The campsite is that way.} He turns another direction. {That direction leads to Tokyo. No, I have to be dreaming, don't I?} Ryoga turns and runs back to the campsite as fast as he can. About 5 or 6 minutes later Ryoga charges into the campsite, but no one is there.  
  
{What? I made it, but it might be luck. If it's not luck then Shinnosuke's house is that way.} Ryoga sprints into the forest. About ten minutes later, he comes to the house Shinnosuke and his grandfather live in. {This means, this means that I don't get lost anymore. WAIT!} Ryoga runs to the house and pushes the door open. Shinnosuke and grandfather are sitting at the table drinking tea. "It worked! I'm cured! Well, kind of cured, but cured anyway! You did it!"  
  
The old man gets up and walks over to Ryoga. "What are you talking about? You still turn into a pig don't you?"  
  
"Yes, but I don't get lost anymore! I never thought about it as a curse, but I suppose it is. Quick old man, point towards Tokyo." As the old man lifts his hand, so does Ryoga. When they stop, both the old man and Ryoga are pointing in the same direction. "You did it, I'm cured!" Ryoga grabs the old man and starts doing a little dance of joy.  
  
"Ry-ry-o-o-ga-ga!!"  
  
"Hey, you're going to kill my grandfather!"  
  
Ryoga quickly puts the old man down and makes sure he's ok. "Thank you. If you ever need anything, just contact Ryoga Hibiki."  
  
The old man puts his hand on Ryoga's shoulder. "No need to thank me Ryoga. We have to use the water of life sparaingly, now that almost all of the springs are dried up, and I couldn't think of a better way to use them."  
  
Ryoga smiles and shakes the old man's hand. "Well, thanks anyway. Thanks to you too, Shinnosuke. Take care." Ryoga turns and walks out the door. He takes a few steps, and then stops to look towards Tokyo. He once again feels sadness overtake him. Before depression totally consumes him, he looks in another direction, only to hear a girl's cry echoing thru his mind.   
  
{Akari.}  
  
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Author's Notes: Thanks to Langdz for pre-reading this. Someone mentioned I don't have a lot about the Kunos in this fic. In all honesty, I HATE the Kunos. They may get put in this fic later, but only to suffer. Then again, I have never been too fond of Ryoga's actions towards Ranma and Akane, which is why I'm making him suffer extra to resolve absolutely anything he does. Anyway, please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (Ntwinkie@effectnet.com) 


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